Ngi June12

India's Onus
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
www.newglobalindian.com
NGI
ISSN 2230-7591 NGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
JUNE 2012
R
PUNE VOL 2 ISSUE NO 10
Price: `50 I US$3 I 2 I 2
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF
INDIAN CINEMA
A FORUM FOR FORWARD THINKING INDIANS GLOBALLY
editorial
The Mirror that is Cinema!

good way to test our humanness is by checking out if we s ll love a ower, a childs smile, cheer up while listening to music or when we hear or share a story: whether real or imaginary. There was a me, it seems a long me ago, when ones childhood began with fascina ng stories told by ones elders. But slowly, that privilege of children is fading away. We, as parents, are at fault since we dont have me. We have passed on our responsibility to technology, which means the television and the Internet. Should watching lms inside halls become obsolete very soon, one should not be surprised. Yet, no cinema c experience can be more enjoyable than si ng inside a hall, soaking in its atmosphere, watching larger-than-life images move and talk as a story unfolds, with popcorn and soda in hand. Lifes mundane experiences are transferred from one genera on to the other naturally and automa cally via our genes. However, the cultural and civiliza onal transfer of experience happens through personal storytelling. Spoken words make a big impact, and so do wri en words. But visual storytelling, whether via drawings, puppetry, drama or lms leave a deeper mark within. Stories that travel through me enrich our civiliza on. This includes both stories from the past and also our sharing of common present-day experiences and feelings. These are capable of s rring the conscience, and touching the soul. When William Shakespeares own theater was discovered in London recently, we reveled in celebra ons. However, most of the world and even many Indians dont know that India gave the book of drama, the Natyashastra, to the world millennia back. Bharat Munis trea se is s ll followed in both Indian classical dance and drama. The idea of rasa is a highly evolved one, so much so that the modern world is yet to fully appreciate some of its unique ideas in human expressions. India took part in the journey of lmmaking soon a er the medium was born. Although the na on makes nearly 1000 lms a year, it primarily caters to about one-and-a-half billion people within the Indian sub-con nent. Indian cinema doesnt get as much interna onal recogni on as it should unless something dis nc ve
Kanchan Banerjee
Editor in Chief
email: kanchan@newglobalindian.com
Quality cinema must conquer linguistic, cultural and geographical barriers, reaching that point where mankind in its purest form comes together.
gets made, such as Slumdog Millionaire or Salaam Bombay. Why? Im not ge ng into the punditry of it, but one thing that is sure is that true professionalism is absent in the making of the majority of lms. The passion for chasing quick bucks at the expense of a en on to quality is easily visible in such lms. Yes, funding is a concern, although India has started making lms whose budgets are pre y close to what Hollywood spends to create a medium-budget lm. But a maestro like Satyajit Ray has shown that it is not the pocket, but skills, perseverance and dedica on that go into the making of a qualita vely brilliant lm. Some might fall back on the good old jus ca on echoed by Vidya Balans character in The Dirty Picture: that is, a lm works because of three reasons, entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. Yes, that is true, but quality lmmaking is beyond mere entertainment. It is a cra that must reect human emo ons, connect with hearts and nally awaken our humanness, helping us transcend our daily experiences. Quality cinema must conquer linguis c, cultural and geographical barriers, reaching that point where mankind in its purest form comes together. Nevertheless, it is not just people of Indian subcon nent or only of Indian origin who love Indian lms. Because of their sheer entertainment value, Indian lms have their share of viewers in many countries, including Russia, the Middle East, Far East, Africa, and now, in the West. That is a great thing, in fact, the best so power India has. Just like the West is experienced by the world via Hollywood, India connects with the world with its lms. Indian cinema has its weaknesses. During this centenary celebra on, however, one must appreciate the hard work of those producers, directors, actors and others who have pursued their ar s c goals with genuineness and intellectual honesty. We must salute those who lived and who live today to give us the basic gi of life telling us stories we love. We must especially thank those creators, who may have changed many lives through their lms. A er all, movies mirror our socie es, ins tu ons, homes and individual selves. It helps us see how and what we are.
NGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE | JUNE 2012
CONTENTS
02
EDITORIAL
1 4 The Mirror that is Cinema! Cinema 2020
NEW GLOBAL INDIAN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kanchan Banerjee INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHER Haimanti Banerjee MANAGING EDITOR Ujjwal K Chowdhury NGI MIDDLE EAST PUBLISHER K Sudhakar Murthy, ACORE Media NGI-GIBM PROJECT HEAD, MARKETING (INDIA) Deepak Chaudhury CONSULTING EDITOR Biswadeep Ghosh EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Madan Lamsal (Nepal) Somanjana C. Bhattacharya (USA) Yasmin Chanda Singh (UK) DESIGN Shayoni Dhar SUB EDITOR & CORRESPONDENT Mritunjay Kumar SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS Rajesh Iyer(Mumbai) Shekhar Srivastava (Lucknow) IT CONSULTANTS Bikram Singh Sudhir Pandey (Pansoft Technologies) Chinmay Bajekal MEDIA & MARKETING CONSULTANT Sai Nagesh (MD, Polestar World) MARKETING & BRANDING Shashank Bhatt,Gujarat Archana, Jaipur Indrani Sarkar, Hyderabad MANAGER- ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION Amit Tyagi CONTACT NOS. AND EMAIL IDS: info@newglobalindian.com ujjwalk.chowdhury@gmail.com 91 9373311239 (India) 001-617-306-6609 (U.S.A.) OFFICE ADDRESS
Inside...
PERISCOPE
5 We Live Because Of Them
COVER STORY
6 Cinema @ 100
PROFILE
18 I had a wonderful experience 19 India Calling 20 NGI Newsmakers 22 NRI Newsbin
06 18
INTERVIEW
24 Building a Success story 36 Really Good Investment
SOCIETY
38 Lady with the Lamp 40 The Search for an Indentity
BUSINESS
44 Welcome to Karnataka
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Delhi: First Floor, D1/4,Next to Reliance Fresh, Opp. Shiv Mandir, Aacharya Niketan, Mayur Vihar Phase - 1, New Delhi 110091 Mumbai: 1/68 Om Heera Panna Shopping centre, Behind Oshiwara Police Station, Off New Link road, Oshiwara, Andheri West, Mumbai, 400102 USA: 109 Gulliver Street, Milton, MA 02186, USA Middle East: 307 B, Mina Building, Al Mina Road, Bur Dubai, P.O Box 102604, Dubai, UAE.
NGI Knowledge Exchange is owned by Nav Gatih Initiatives & Media Pvt. Ltd., printed and published by Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury, Printed at Zen Computer & printers, Shaniwar Peth, Pune-411030 and published at Amar Kamal Niwas, Survey No-258, Plot No-12, Khese Park, Lohegaon Road (Behind Vaishnavi Building), Pune-411032 Editor - Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury. Copyright with respect to all contents remains with Nav Gatih Initiatives & Media Pvt. Ltd.,The views expressed in some of the articles or interviews are of the writers or interviewees themselves and do not necessarily express NGI's opinions and beliefs.
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CONTENTS
46
EVENT
46 Mumbai: Questions And Answers
ART
54 Explorations Of The Mind
TRAVELOGUE
56 Hyderabad Revisited
SPORTS
60 A King is A King
INDIANAMA
62 Satyamev Jayate : Are you just watching a show or becoming a change agent?
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60 50
62
editorial
Cinema 2020
I
Managing Editor Dean, Whistling Woods International School of Communication, Mumbai email: ujjwalk.chowdhury@gmail.com
Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury
I also look forward to more global, multinational or transnational lms with Indian content at the core.
ndian cinema, the largest by volume and the second largest by value in the world, turns a grand and graceful old lady of 100 years. Although there is a lot of talk about the occasion, Id rather look at the next few years ahead of us. Before I deal with that, however, I must emphasize on the need to celebrate the century of Indian cinema all through 2012 till the middle or end of 2013. Indian cinema in general, and Bollywood in particular, has reached out to more viewers than we would have imagined till sometime ago. I remember how school kids in Sasamara in remote Ethiopia chased me and my shooting team, while I was on a fieldtrip during my stint in WHO Geneva, shouting "Shahrukh, Kajol ..." the moment they knew we were from India. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was fresh then. We must celebrate this occasion everywhere, in Dubai, London, New York, Trinidad, Mauritius, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, and wherever we can. I will try to explore that possibility in the months ahead, more so, through the Indian Diaspora media, New Global Indian that I am associated with. The makers of Indian cinema need to accept that, globally, their films havent made a serious impact on the majority of film watchers. Although watched by unlikely viewers in unusual countries I was astonished in Ethopia, as I said before their works havent become the cinema of choice of non-Indians yet. Avatar from Hollywood earned USD 7 billion worldwide in 27 languages, and only one-third of it in USA. The day 3 Idiots or Ra.One gets dubbed in multiple languages with income from abroad exceeding that from within India, we can safely assert that we have arrived. As of now, we have a long way to go. Experimentation has to be the new mantra. This can happen only if stardom makes way for actor-and-storybased low-budget films like Paan Singh Tomar, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Vicky Donor, I Am Kalam, Stanley Ka Dabba, and so on. That many such films were released recently is encouraging, more so since most of them earned a lot more than what was spent on them. Linked with this trend is the concept of making films customized for
the multiplex audiences, as some of the examples mentioned above show. Then, films are specially made for the Indian Diaspora, a quality also seen through films of Dharma Productions and Yashraj Films largely. Finally, stars need to experiment, a la Paa and Cheeni Kum directed by R Balki and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Taare Zameen Par made by Aamir Khan, etc. Masala flicks like Rowdy Rathore will get released and succeed too, but those for the discerning audiences will have their space as well. Interestingly, digital filmmaking for the big screen, customized filmmaking for the television, and more radically, for the convergent mobile or Ipad or for inflight entertainment will change our way of telling stories. Three-hour-long films aren't sacrosanct already. After having moved towards the making of 100-minute-long films, New Media will give rise to films that are shorter than an hour and have a market of their own. Digital production is bringing down costs heavily, leading to what people term as the democratization of cinema'. I am looking forward to more of that in future. I also look forward to more global, multinational or transnational films with Indian content at the core. Say, a film on how a poor rural Bihari young adult had gone to a Caribbean or African nation as an indentured labourer a century ago. Three generations later, his granddaughter fights a socio-political battle and becomes the Prime Minister of that nation. Such a film is not completely Indian, yet, nobody can say that it is not Indian. Truly global, diasporic, transnational. Finally, I look forward to the day when the iron wall of Bollywood will disintegrate. While the filmy czars and their families will produce mass films, remakes and risky high-budget flicks, the new generation of filmmakers and perceptive film marketers will tackle and market an equal number of films on subjects related to dalit and workers' movements, peasants' lives, little known communities, homosexuals and transgenders. Till that happens, let the new generation of would-be filmmakers and marketers dream the impossible, learn and do the same! Bon Voyage
periscope
We Live Because Of Them
I
Biswadeep Ghosh
Consulting Editor Former Editor, Pune Times email: beegee1968@gmail.com
The story of cinema cannot be encapsulated in a few thousand pages. Hence, any attempt to do so in a few hundred words is outright absurd.
remember that day vividly. A sixyear-old lad sat in my house, watching a Shammi Kapoor film on the small screen. Suddenly, the kid looked at me and exclaimed, Uncle, uncle, Jim Carrey copies this man, doesnt he? I was astonished by the youngsters question. The reason: had Kapoor been an American actor, his body language and mannerisms might have inspired an actor of Carreys kind. More than that, however, the childs question was a reminder that cinema is omnipresent in our lives. It is here, there, everywhere. That is precisely why the celebration of one hundred of years of cinema is a special occasion for us. It has given us an opportunity to honour those who were responsible for the mediums birth as well as its evolution in our country. The legendary Dadasaheb Phalkes Raja Harishchandra, the first fiction feature film; a huge number of silent movies made by other enterprising filmmakers; Ardeshir Iranis Alam Ara, the first film that spoke; Wadia Movietones creation of Fearless Nadia, the first stunt queen; studios such as New Theatres, Prabhat Film Company and Bombay Talkies which revolutionized the manner in which films were produced: statistics from the distant past can only tell a small part of the story. What it doesnt tell and which is far more important is the story of the filmmakers relentless battle against social obstacles. As was the case with novels when they were written for the first time in the English language, being a part of the world of cinema was looked down upon when the medium was trying to grow. That they managed to focus on their art despite hurdles is what makes filmmakers from the past really special. The story of cinema cannot be encapsulated in a few thousand pages. Hence, any attempt to do so in a few hundred words is outright absurd. Also, cinematic preferences being personal in nature, somebodys unquestionable favourite will figure in the list of one among many for someone else. There are those movie
devotees who stick to regional films: yet, Ritwik Ghatak may be the best director of Bengali films for one, while Satyajit Ray might be the last word in creative wizardry for another. Some are keen watchers of art films, a term used for films with serious subjects which have far fewer followers among the masses. There are those who dont believe in drawing a line of demarcation between commercial cinema and art cinema and rightly so, one thinks. They watch what is good, irrespective of the classification. What has also emerged in recent times is a genre thats popularly known as multiplex films: in other words, films made with small budgets and lesser known actors that deal with subjects urban audiences watch and appreciate. Most movie watchers, however, gravitate towards cinema halls which show hardcore masala films: masala or spice signifying a package which has no goal apart from entertaining the audiences. Such films have action, drama and songs, the last, a peculiar characteristic of films made in India. So, while viewers in the South worship films starring Rajinikanth, those in the other parts of the country chase those starring one of the three Ks: Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir, although the last among the three also works in offbeat films. What, then, makes Indian cinema unique? The fans of the medium manifest the sort of passion for stars that will seem unreal anywhere else. Many stars have temples built after them. Their devotees remember each and every interesting dialogue they have uttered; dress up the way they do; cry when their idols' films flop; celebrate for days when they become box-office successes; and, sleep outside the halls to get the tickets of the first show of a new release. Cinema in India lives within us. The legacy of a past that is one-hundred years old, its mere presence is a source of comfort and joy. So, let us pause for a while and think of how the story began. It will help us appreciate what we have a little bit more.
COVER STORY
06
India is celebrating the 100th year of Indian cinema. The occasion is a matter of immense national pride and glory. Mritunjay Kumar reports on the birth and growth of a medium that fascinates us so much
SIMPLY MAGICAL! A man with vision and courage pioneered the revoluon. Mumbai, called Bombay then, had no idea of what was about to take place. On April 21, 1913, at the Olympia theatre, Dadasaheb Phalke premiered the rst ever full-length lm, Raja Harishchandra. A silent lm based on the legend of King Harishchandra, it was released for the masses on May 3, 1913. Ten decades have gone by. Today, the na on is paying a tribute to the date that Phalke had immortalized with the rst public screening of his lm. India being a na on where more than 1,000 lms are made in various languages every year, the mediums growth deserves a special narra on for those who wish to understand what cinema in the country is all about. Indian cinema encompasses regional lms (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali, Gujara , Bhojpuri, Punjabi etc), but the most visible body of work is generated by the Hindi lm industry. Right from romances, underworld icks, hilarious comedies, well-cra ed o eat lms and jawdropping ac on lms to social dramas and thrillers: Indian cinema includes just about any genre one can possibly think of. Everything is fascina ng about our movies, and its range, as diverse and charming as it can possibly be. IN HONOR OF HISTORY A documentary is being made as a tribute that celebrates the comple on of 100 years of cinema. Four dis nguished lmmakers Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee will be making four 20-minute short lms, each of which is their own take on the Hindi lm industry. The four documentaries, being made under the banner of Flying Turtle Films, will be clubbed together later and released as an 80-minute documentary tled Bombay Talkies. According to a leading lm website, Akhtar's documentary tled Sheila Ki Jawaani narrates the story of a young boy and his obsession with the song Sheila Ki Jawaani. The lm will unfold the tales of popular item numbers, and how peppy and raunchy songs have become over the century. It features Katrina Kaif and also an in-depth interview with Ranveer Singh. While Anurag's lm hasnt been tled yet, Priyanka Chopra will be a part of it. Karan Johar and Dibakar haven't started work on their projects yet. With Indian cinema comple ng 100 years of existence, renowned lmmaker Subhash Ghai's lm school Whistling Woods Interna onal celebrated it in grand style. The inaugural func on took o with the unveiling of a life-size statue of Dadasaheb Phalke by
CINEMA @ 100
A.R. Rahman to deafening applause. A short lm depicted the evolu on of Indian cinema, beginning with the black and white era. Arjun Kapoor and Parinee Chopra, the young stars from the movie Ishaqzaade, had an informal chat with the students. When asked about the student ini a ve 'Cinema 100', Chopra said, "It is mind-blowing." Industry veterans such as Randhir Kapoor, K. Shantaram, Rakesh Mehra and Jackie Shro were also in a endance. The rst day of this three-day event ended with a special show of 18 minutes of Raja Harishchandra, the only part of the rst ever silent Hindi feature lm available today. This was followed by the acclaimed Marathi lm depic ng its making, Harishchandrachi Factory. The three-day extravaganza included, among other things, a music-lled occasion with legends like A.R. Rahman, Gulzar, Saroj Khan and Sukhwinder Singh crea ng an atmosphere of nostalgia for all music and dance lovers alike. Adding to the celebra on of memories, lyricist Prasoon Joshi has wri en a centenary anthem which will be rendered at the IIFA Awards in Singapore. GOVERNMENTS ACTION PLAN From this year onwards, the Na onal Film Awards will be given away on May 3rd every year. At the 59th Na onal Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi, Ambika Soni, Minister for Informa on and Broadcas ng, said, "There are a few interes ng projects to commemorate the centenary of Indian cinema. We are planning to open a museum of Indian cinema. The museum will be in Mumbai in the heritage building of Gulshan Mahal. It will be ready before May 2013." The museum will showcase the history of the industry and its global impact. It will be a storehouse of informa on, equipment like cameras, edi ng and recording machines, projectors, costumes, photographs and other material. The proper es, dresses, sets, tapes, vintage equipment, posters, copies of important lms, prints, promo onal leaets, biographies, soundtracks, trailers, transparencies, lm magazines and sta s cs covering lm distribu on are also expected to be displayed in a chronological manner. The Directorate of Film Fes vals in India is an organiza on that ini ates and presents the most presgious lm ceremonies in India. This year, the organiza on is celebra ng 100 years of Indian cinema by showcasing this years all na onal-award winning lms to all the major ci es of India. The glory of Indian cinema needs to be preserved, and shown to millions of lm lovers. That it is being done in such an elaborate manner is great news indeed.
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COVER STORY
SEEING IS BELIEVING
The emergence of films in India took every viewer by surprise. A look at what happened then, and what is happening now
WHEN IT ALL BEGAN Dadasaheb Phalke was a visionary. A er he had conquered obstacles, both social and technical, to make Raja Harishchandra, the result was simply unbelievable. Phalkes lm tells the story of the noble and righteous king, Harishchandra, who rst sacrices his kingdom, followed by his wife and eventually his children to honour his promise to the sage Vishwamitra. Pleased with him for what he does, however, the Gods restore his former glory. The lm had an all-male cast because no woman was available to play any of the female leads. The reel was 3,700 feet long, and had a running me of 40 minutes. Because of his lm's massive success, Phalke had to make more prints for rural areas. He came to be known as the Father of Indian cinema later. The original lm comprised four reels. The Na onal Film Archives of India only has the rst and last reels, although some lm historians believe they belong to a 1917 remake which shares the same tle. WHEN CINEMA SPOKE Indian lm industry waited for almost 18 years before the rst talkie got made. Titled Alam Ara and directed by Ardeshir Irani, the lm debuted at the Majes c Cinema in Mumbai (then Bombay) on 14th March, 1931. It became so popular that it is said that the police had to be summoned to control the crowds. THE RAINBOW EFFECT Kisan Kanya was a 1937 Hindi feature lm directed by Mo B. Gidvani and produced by Ardeshir Irani. It was India's rst indigenously made lm in color. However, V. Shantaram had produced a Marathi lmSairandhri (1933) earlier which had scenes in color. However, the lm was processed and printed in Germany. Kisan Kanya was, therefore, India's rst indigenously made color lm. RAY OF GLORY Indian lm industry was prolic in terms of the number of lms being made every year. But the man who showed the power of Indian cinema to the world was the celebrated Bengali lmmaker Satyajit Ray. Rays epic Pather Panchali (1955) was awarded for being the Best Human Document at the 1956 Cannes Film Fes val, establishing him as a major interna onal lmmaker. Till today, it is considered to be one of the greatest lms ever made. NEW DIMENSION Chhota Chetan is a 1998 Hindi movie directed by Jijo Punnoose. It was dubbed from the 1984 Malayalam movie, My Dear Ku chathan which was India's rst 3-D lm Chota Chetan was the rst feature lm to introduce DTS for a stereoscopic 3-D feature lm. SCI FI HIGH Kaadu (The Jungle), a Tamil-American co-produc on, was the rst sci- lm in India. The lm created an example that many would follow later.
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COVER STORY
MORE THAN JUST BOLLYWOOD
Bollywood may be the most visible filmmaking industry in India. But Indian cinema has a lot to offer beyond that. In fact, artistically brilliant work characterizes many regional filmmaking industries
BENGALI Bengali cinema has arguably produced the maximum number of aesthe cally exquisite lms among the dierent lm industries in India. Makers like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak have given us crea ons like the Apu Trilogy and Meghe Dhaka Tara whose acclaim has only enhanced as years have gone by. Many contemporary lmmakers like Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh and Goutam Ghose have made lms whose impact has been felt beyond Indian shores. TELUGU The Telugu lm industry accounts for one per cent of the Gross Domes c Product of Andhra Pradesh. In fact, Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of movie theaters in the country. It produces the maximum number of movies in the country per annum. It has produced lms such as Sagara Sangamam, Maro Charithra, a huge hit later remade in Hindi as Ek Duje Ke Liye, Rudraveena and Pokiri among many others. TAMIL Known for its socially oriented dramas and elaborate musicals, this industry has spawned tans like Sivaji Ganesan, M.G. Ramachandran, and of course, Rajanikanth. The presence of talents like Ilaiyaraja, Kamal Hasan, Mani Ratnam, A.R.Rahman and Prabhudeva has contributed immensely to take Tamil cinema to staggering heights. Movies like Roja, Kandukondain Kandukondain, and in recent mes Sivaji and Dasavataram, have ensured that the industrys ag ies high. And, the future looks just as bright. MARATHI Having seen a massive downslide in the 1980s in the face of s compe on from the more glamorous Bollywood, Marathi cinema returned with a vengeance in 2004 with the Oscar-nominated Shwaas. Following that, there has been no looking back with landmark lms like Natrang and Harishchandrachi Factory (the second Marathi lm to be sent to the Oscars), apart from other hugely acclaimed ones like Vihir, Jogwa and many others. The emergence of talented directors like Umesh Kulkarni and Sa sh Rajwade has made a huge dierence to the industry which seems poised for tremendous growth. MALAYALAM An upsurge in the 1970s with new-age directors like Adoor Gopalakrishnan (Swayamvaram and Kathapurushan) took Malayalam cinema beyond the connes of Kerala. This genre saw its best era from 1980 to 1990 with the produc on of masterpieces like Piravi and His Highness Abdullah among others. The industry kept on churning out good humorous and social movies ll it received a setback from the more popular Tamil industry. However, in 2005, it saw a revival when directors like Roshan Andrews and Lal Jose made lms like Classmates and Notebook among others. Presently, experimental movies and mul -starrers rule the roost.
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SagaraSangamam Apu Trilogy Roja
Shwaas Piravi
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SUCH IS INDIAN CINEMA
What makes Indian cinema different from films anywhere else in the world? Here are some answers
Indian lms are made to entertain a wide audience, and therefore, oer a lot of variety. They can easily run for three hours, since they are packaged with romance, drama, comedy, gh ng, songs and dance. RIGHT MOVES AND CHOREOGRAPHERS Contrary to Western musicals where song and dance scenes are integrated with the story, their counterparts in Indian lms may have no connect with the plot whatsoever. Think of this scene. Just a moment ago, two lovers were standing on the stairs of a temple. Suddenly, they nd themselves in the park of a palace or on a hill with about 30 people who sing and dance along with them. At mes, the lyrics of these songs provide with an opportunity to declare their love for each other or to comment on the happenings in the lm so far. A love song can take place when the hero and the heroine get close to each other for the rst me but this can also be a dream sequence where one of the two imagines a mee ng. Weddings in the movies give an opportunity for colorful dance numbers with many people in them. Religious songs can have dances as well. Then there are item songs. These are usually song and dance scenes to enhance the entertainment value. In earlier days, item numbers were performed by vamps or minor characters in
COVER STORY
general, thereby oering an opportunity to show some skin. But nowadays, even the good girls (read heroines) can perform an item number. India produces a huge number of movies every year. So, choreographers work on several lms at a me. Ace choreographer Saroj Khan points out that, while the Hindi lm industry had barely 60 choreographers at one me, the number has risen to 300 today. When the choreographers are on the sets, they have complete control over the dance sequences. The director only explains his idea of the song and how it will work in the lm. The choreographer takes over therea er. Today, a number of choreographers are con nuing this tradi on. Some who come to mind are Shiamak Davar, Saroj Khan, Ahmed Khan, Raju Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant, Remo and Farah Khan. MUSIC, POETRY AND THEIR CREATORS Music has always been an integral part of Indian cinema. Poetry as a form of art originated centuries before cinema did, but it has also made a signicant contribu on to the cinema of our land. Renowned lmmaker Subhash Ghai observes, The songwriter is the one who actually gives a character to the actor. Well-known lyricist Gulzar, however, believes that every director wants only one thing: that is, his songs should be hit and should be sung by everybody. But, he also adds that the style of the ar st gets reected in his work. The lm industry has seen several great music directors in the past. Among them are S.D. Burman, C. Ramchandra, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Naushad, Madan Mohan and Shankar Jaikishan who have created immortal music with the combina on of Indian classical music and folk music which are treasured even today. Music in Indian cinema will never go out of fashion. When great songs by the likes of AR Rahman get created today, or when Gulzar and Javed Akhtar pen memorable lines, it becomes obvious that the spirit of Indian cinema is well and truly alive.
GATHERING OF TITANS: Subhash Ghai, Gulzar, Meghna Puri, A R Rahman, Saroj Khan with statue of Dadasaheb Phalke at the WWI event DANCING DIVA: Madhuri Dixit
COVER STORY
10
CONTENT RULES
FILMMAKERS WHO HAVE TAKEN A CREATIVE STEP FORWARD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPIN MANY SUCCESS STORIES
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COVER STORY
SMALL IS BIG
Big budget masala movies used to characterize Bollywood. But the scenario is changing for the better
Lavish sets. Highly paid superstars. Exo c loca ons. Bollywoods hit factory packaged several such elements in the movies of yesteryear. Such lms con nue to exist, and do remarkably well too. Alongside such lms, however, are small budget lms which seem to be making a bigger impact with each passing day. Siddharth Roy Kapoor, CEO, UTV Mo on Pictures, observes, "The success of small budget lms is indica ve of the fact that audiences today are hungry for entertainment as well as quality content. You give it to them in an interes ng manner, and they are happy to come and see it even if the lm does not have big stars. Small and medium budget movies are proving to be big draws, raking in anything between 16 crore and 40 crore. While the net collec on of Kiran Rao's Rs ve-crore directorial debut Dhobi Ghaat was Rs 16 crore, the roman c comedy Tanu Weds Manu that was made for Rs 16 crore raked in Rs 40 crore. Rajkumar Gupta's adapta on of a real-life story tled No One Killed Jessica was able to gross Rs 28 crore at the cket window. The total investment in the lm was said to be Rs nine crore. Today, content is the undisputed king in Bollywood. A typically commercial venture can be guilty of overlooking the fact that it needs a good script and good direc on. When a producer manages to get a big star, he might believe that his lm is made. That is a big mistake. For, in todays mes, audiences make unusual choices o en. And most of them are based on the quality of the story and direc on. Last year, quite a few interes ng small budget lms were able rake in moolah at the box oce. These included Shor in the City, Chalo Dilli and I AM.
FILMS WITH A DIFFERENCE: Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar, Vicky Donor, Tere Bin Laden, Udaan, Peepli Live, No One Killed Jessica, Phans Gaya Re Obama, Tanu Weds Manu, Dhobi Ghaat.
COVER STORY DIRECTORS VOICE

Promising director Zoya Akhtar shares her views on the growth of the lm industry
Her brother Farhan Akhtar got his rst hit with Dil Chahta Hai, his rst lm. She got it with her second. Were talking about the very talented Zoya Akhtar, who made her presence felt with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara last year. Speaking with likable frankness, Zoya feels that her brother, Farhan got lucky when he started out. You may get lucky like him, she said, adding, He was just 25 when he wanted to make Dil Chahta Hai which reected his life. He met someone like Aamir Khan who loved the idea. So it just happened. Zoyas rst lm Luck By Chance was rejected by many leading actors. Finally, she had to se le for her brother Farhan and Konkona Sen Sharma. Even though it was cri cally acclaimed, the lm didnt do well at the box-oce. The actors I wanted in Luck By Chance didnt want to do the lm. The male actors thought it was a girls story. And, a er ones choice of three or four actors, ones doesnt want to work with anyone else because they dont suit the part, said the lmmaker. When asked about her signature style in lms, Zoya confessed, I have not developed a style yet. I am just two lms old. But friendship is an integral part of my lms because of the kind of friends I have had. When you grow up and are from a broken home, your friends tend to become really big in your life. Both Farhan and I have a very ght group of friends, and have a huge regard for those rela onships.
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The lmmaker is very upbeat about the future of Indian cinema. She says, I'm not an astrologer. So I don't know how accurate I would be. Yes, the world is waking up to Indian cinema, but that is happening in a freakish, over-the-top way. We have a very dierent way of telling stories. Our audiences go to watch lms for very dierent reasons. We can't forget that, and we shouldn't forget that. But, as the market opens further, we will be able to grab a certain amount of distribu on in the West and other countries. This will enable the lmmakers to tell their stories in a dierent form. Right now, it is very dicult for me to have no songs since they are a marke ng tool. Till we don't crack the distribu on network, therefore, it will be very dicult. She adds on an op mis c note, The world is ge ng global and smaller. So, I think it will happen very soon. That is very exci ng, and I hope I'm there when it happens. It'll be nice to tell typically Indian stories in a manner which it is palatable to other people. At the rate at which we're growing and spreading everywhere, I don't think the world has an op on. We agree.
In sau saalon mein 80 saal Kapoor khaandaan ka yogdaan raha hai (In these 100 years, the Kapoor family has contributed for 80 years) Rishi Kapoor, veteran Actor
Noted American filmmaker Griffith once said that after 100 years the new wave cinema will be responsible for ending armed conflicts and promoting brotherhood - Muzaffar Ali, filmmaker
That we have crossed 100 years shows the kind of love our industry has got for so many years. We will cherish it for a lifetime - Arjun Kapoor, actor 100 years of Hindi Cinema, hope our industry continues to make films which entertain generations. Proud to be a part of it - Bipasha Basu, actress Cinema has always highlighted the morality of the society. The younger generation is now holding the megaphone well - Javed Akhtar, poet-lyricist
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COVER STORY
REBIRTH OF CLASSICS
The lm industry is re-presenting old black and white lms in color, thus adding a new charm to classics
When a classic black and white lm is produced in color all over again, it acquires a new feel. Whistling Woods Interna onals celebra on of 100 years of Indian Cinema Cinema 100 played host to Ketan Anand, son of the legendary director Chetan Anand, who was there to show the marvelous eect of colours on his fathers lm Haqueeqat. Haqueeqat is a classic, and one of the rst war movies of Indian cinema. It starred actors like Dharmendra, Balraj Sahni, Priya Rajvansh, Sanjay Khan and Vijay Anand. In the lm, Chetan Anand has shown the lives of a small group of soldiers during the Sino-Indian war of 1962. Its an extremely touching story about how they died gh ng. When asked about his fathers style of lmmaking, Ketan Anand said, Real incidents inuenced his cinema a lot. It took Ketan Anand three long years to nish the project. He said, Basically, it is a tedious process. It is literally a paint job. When the movie was shown, it was as if it was always shot in color. The process of coloriza on is evolving with me. Haqueeqat has joined the small list of black and white lms that have been colorized in recent years. Along with color, another remarkable addi on to this lm is the background score. It now has Dolby Digital sound. The costs involved in crea ng the lm with a new look were huge, the process of coloriza on being new to India. However, the making of such a masterpiece shows how much progress technology has made, and how Indians are adap ng to the change.
R LOU CO Y IN R ISTO H
Old and New versions of Haqueeqat, Hum Dono and Mughal-e-Azam
COVER STORY
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TIME IN MOTION
Ever since the film industry took its first step, it has grown from strength to strength. NGI presents a bird's eye view 1951-60
The trinity of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand ruled over Hindi cinema, MGR delivered the 1954 Tamil blockbuster, Malaikallan, while NTR ruled the Telugu lm world. In Cannes, Satyajit Rays Pather Panchali won the Best Human Document prize. Guru Du made classics such as Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) which have been included among the greatest lms of all me in Time magazine's All-TIME 100 best movies. Mother India (1958) was India's rst entry to the Academy Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film. The Na onal Film Awards, the most prominent lm award ceremony, was established in 1954. Shyamchi Aai (Marathi) got the rst ever Presidents Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film, and Bimal Roys Do Bigha Zameen got the All India Cer cate for Merit. Filmfare Awards were also introduced in the same year. Mughal-e-Azam made a special contribu on to cinema with its release in 1960.
1961-70
1912-31
The rst Indian movie released in India was Shree Pundalik by Dadasaheb Torne on 18 May, 1912, at the Corona on Cinematograph, Bombay. Indias rst indigenous full-length feature lm Dadasaheb Phalkes Raja Harishchandra premiered on April 21, 1913, also in Bombay. The lm was released commercially on May 3, 1913. A er this, Phalke helmed more silent mythologicals like Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), Satyavan Savitri (1914), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janam (1919), Kalia Mardan (1922) and Bhakta Prahlad (1926). Over the next two decades, Indian silent features ruled. In 1931, a record 209 silent lms were released when talkies arrived.
1931-50
Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam
Dhoop Chhaon
Ardeshir Irani released Alam Ara, the rst Indian indigenously made and processed talking lm, on 14 March, 1931. Playback singing was introduced in Ni n Boses Dhoop Chhaon (1935). Naujawan (1937) was the rst lm with no songs. Phalke also made his only talkie, Gangavataran (1937). In 1944, Jwar Bhata, the debut lm of superstar Dilip Kumar got released.
In this decade, Shammi Kapoor did his Yahoo act, Rajendra Kumar became Jubilee Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar crooned Allah tero naam, and Rajesh Khannas two blockbusters Aradhana and Do Raste (1969) made him a superstar. Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam (1962) was an entry to the 13th Berlin Interna onal lm fes val. Manoj Kumar's directorial debut was Upkaar (1967). Ritwik Ghataks classic Subarnarekha (1962) came into being. New wave cinema took o with Mrinal Sens Bhuvan Shome (1969) for which he bagged the Na onal award for Best Director.
Shri Krishna Janam
Naujawan
Do Bigha Zameen
Bhuvan Shome
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COVER STORY
1991-2000
1981-90 1971-80
Three genera ons of Kapoors came together in Kal, Aaj aur Kal, Zeenat Aman grooved in Dum Maro Dum and Amitabh Bachchan made a minor but impressive debut in Saat Hindustani (1971). Parallel cinema came of age. Among other lms, Shyam Benegals Ankur (1974) and M S Sathyus Garam Hawa (1973) made headlines. Bollywood sidelined romance for ac on as Bachchan conquered the silver screen with Zanjeer (1973). Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia debuted with Bobby (1973). Ramesh Sippys Sholay (1975) became the highest grossing Indian lm of all me. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Shak Samanta, and Yash Chopra made some wonderful lms. Subhash Ghais Karz (1980) based on the story of reincarna on was one of the highest grossers of the year.
Baazigar
2000-12
Shah Rukh Khan rocked Bollywood with his an hero acts in Darr and Baazigar. Comedy le the audiences in splits, with the GovindaDavid Dhawan collabora on giving rise to lms like Shola aur Shabnam (1992), Aankhein (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No 1 (1995) and many more blockbusters. Salman Khan wooed Bollywood with lms such as Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! (1994) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), the latter also signaling the arrival of Aishwarya Rai. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starred in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), the longest running Hindi lm. Ram Gopal Varmas Satya (1998) showed the dark gangster culture of Mumbai in a realis c manner. In 2000, Hri k Roshans Kaho Na Pyaar Hai made him the ho est young star to have made his debut for quite some me.
Chandni
Sholay
Music that had acquired a dis nc ve avour, thanks to the eorts and talent of directors like SD Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan and many others, slipped in this decade. Disco music reigned for a big part, with composer Bappi Lahiri crea ng some major musical success stories. Mithun Chakroborty became the Indian John Travolta. Jeetendra experienced successes with lms like Himmatwala (1983). Art movies achieved a new high with lms like Arth (1982), Ardh Satya (1983) and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983). Shekhar Kapoors Mr. India (1987) was a super hit. Aamir Khans debut lm, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) made him an instant hear hrob. Salman Khan arrived with Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). Muzzafar Alis Umraon Jaan (1981), Mira Nairs Salaam Bombay (1988), and Yash Chopras Chandni (1989) were among the signicant lms of the period.
Munna Bhai MBBS
Young lmmakers like Farhan Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, Im az Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj took the industry by storm. Dil Chahta Hai (2003) changed Bollywoods depic on of young urban sensibili es. Rajkumar Hiranis Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) gave a new lease of life to Sanjay Du and endeared his character na onwide and beyond. Films like Aamir Khans direc onal debut Taare Zameen Par (2007), A Wednesday (2008), Peepli Live (2010), Dev D (2009), and Kahaani (2012) showed Bollywoods desire to priori ze content over gloss.
Kaho Na Pyaar Hai
Taare Zameen Par
COVER STORY
1896 First screening of a lm: At Watsons Hotel, Bombay, on 7 July, 1896, by the Lumire Brothers cameraman Marius Ses er 1907 First Indian cinema hall: J F Madan opens the Elphinstone Picture Palace in Calcu a 1912 First feature lm of India: Shree Pundalik directed by P.R.Tipnis 1913 First commercially released feature lm: Dadasaheb Phalkes Raja Harishchandra 1917 First box oce hit: Dadasaheb Phalkes Lanka Dahan
AWWAL NUMBER
1954 First Hindi lm to win a Na onal Award for Best Film: Sohrab Modis Mirza Ghalib
Watsons Hotel Bombay
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1955 Satyajit Rays Pather Panchali has its world premiere at the Museum of Modern Art, New York 1957 First Academy Awards entry: Mehboob Khans Mother India
Mirza Ghalib
1959 First Cinemascope lm: Guru Du s Kaagaz ke Phool 1964 The Na onal Film Archive of India is founded in Pune 1982 First Indian to win an Oscar for costume direc on in Sir Richard A enborroughs lm, Gandhi : Bhanu Athaiya 1995 Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge marks the arrival of the NRI hero, played remarkably well by Shah Rukh Khan 1998 Mani Ratnams Dil Se is released and ocially tracked and listed in the UKs Top Ten box oce releases, ahead of several mainstream Bri sh and Hollywood lms
A still from Alam Ara
Lanka Dahan
1920 First interna onal co-produc on (with Italy): Ardeshir Iranis Nala Damayan First Indian lm to cast a foreigner (Dorothy Kingdom): Suchet Singhs Shakuntala First op cal newsreel: Suchet Singhs TheCrema onofLokmanyaTilak 1925 First a empt to provide realis c treatment in a lm through the story of a peasant exploited by moneylenders: Baburao Painters Savkari Pash First woman director-producer: Fatma Begum 1931 First talkie: Ardeshir Iranis Alam Ara, featuring seven songs 1946 First Indian lm to win Grand Prix at Cannes - Chetan Anands Neecha Nagar
Bhanu Athaiya
2003 First Indian actress on the jury of the Cannes Interna onal Film Fes val: Aishwarya Rai 2008 First lm to cross the Rs. 100 crore landmark: Ghajini 2009 First Indian to win two Oscars for the Best Original Score in Slumdog Millionaire and its foot-tapping song Jai Ho: A R Rahman
Aishwarya Rai
1952 First Indian Interna onal Film Fes val held in Bombay, Madras and Calcu a
Inputs by: Ankita Salunke, Pankaj Sabnani, Pooja Phalke, Nidhi Upadhyaya
PROFILE
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I had a wonderful experience

In the process of completing her term as the President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) -- the second woman to lead it in its history Dr Sunita Kanumury talks to Kanchan Banerjee about her accomplishments while steering the biggest Indian ethnic organization in America
New Jersey-based allergist and immunologist Dr Sunita Kanumury, who had been elected President of the American Associa on of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) for 20112012, will complete her tenure soon.Dr Kanumury is the second woman president in the three-decade-long history of the organiza on, 12 years a er Dr Kalpalatha Guntupalli became its rst woman president. She herself received the gavel from outgoing president Dr Ajeet R. Singhvi at the 29th annual AAPI conven on in New York on June 25, 2011. It also signaled a change in the leadership of the largest indigenous medical organiza on in the US. Dr Kanumury has been working closely with the Indian community here, crea ng awareness on health, in rela on to our proneness to chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. AAPI have published the second edi on of the AAPI nutri on book in collabora on with die ans. Before being elected President, Dr Kanumury had served the organiza on in various capaci es such as Member, Board of Trustees; Regional Director, Mid-Atlan c AAPI (NJ, NY, PA); Chairman of Alumni Commi ee for the AAPI Conven on in 2007; Member, Benets Commi ee and Ethics & Grievance Committee; Vice President & Founding Member, AAPI Northwest New Jersey; Member at large, Federa on of AAPI (Tri-State). She will hand over charge to Dr Narendra Kumar at the AAPI's 30th annual conven on in Long Beach, California, to be held from June 28 to July 1, 2012. Excerpts from an interview with Dr. Kanumury: You are about to nish your term as the President of AAPI. How do you feel now? I had a wonderful experience. It has been both a challenging and learning experience. One comes across good and bad situa ons. I also got the opportunity to meet many good people. What are your key accomplishments as the President of AAPI? Under my leadership, I was able to come out with two e-books on nutri on with worldrenowned authors. We organized several health fairs under AAPI banner in dierent states, promoted walkathons in dierent
states to create awareness, regulated various tness classes to have nutri onal and healthy lifestyles and did CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscita on) for ci zens. For the rst me, our alliance raised money to give to charity. We have raised money for Pratham, CRY etc. We had two successful legisla ve meets, lobbied for the increase in Residency Slots, J1 Visa waiver and the economic well-being of young physicians. AAPI had a great meet at the 5th annual AAPI Indo-US Healthcare Summit held at Hyderabad. . What lessons have you learned about the health industry in general in your role as the AAPI President? It was a challenge to run the organiza on with limited funds, but we always con nued to give our best and did well in all the projects. What do you want to do next? I would like to promote AAPI as the only largest ethnic organiza on reaching out to communi es promo ng healthy lifestyles preven on and CPR idea of our regional director, Dr Kris Vijay. We would like to get younger physicians and involve them in medical service and healthcare policy. I would con nue my work for the communi es in raising awareness. What is your message for the new genera on of Indian-American doctors? We need to have one voice and strong organizaon to be heard. Very few in the Congress are physicians. We should work with them at state and federal level to lobby along with AMA (American Medical Associa on)
AAPI is a US registered non-profit organisation that represents the interests of more than 75,000 physicians of Indian origin, who are practicing or training in the US. It also serves as an umbrella organization representing over 130 regional, alumni and specialty organizations across the US. AAPI has launched a new endeavor to send American medical students and medical college residents of Indian origin for four weeks rotation to an accredited Indian Medical School or Hospitals of their choice to get exposure to the Indian Medical System, learn abundant clinical skills available there and gain experience of working in suboptimal conditions. AAPI has been working together with community organizations like GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) and NFIA (National Federation of Indian Associations). AAPI has also been conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summits in New Delhi and other state capitals for the past four years.
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PROFILE
INDIA CALLING
Mritunjay kumar proles an NRI Anshuman Mishra, the nancial wizard whose heart always beats for the prosperity of his motherland...
and a lobbyist for India in the United States You might be familiar with Anshuman Mishra, a er Pokhran II. I mobilized opinion in favor a newcomer in Indian poli cs. A highly sucof India a er it carried out nuclear tests, as a cessful NRI professional who wants to serve result of which its rela onship with the US deIndia by joining poli cs, Mishra believes that he can do a lot for the country of his birth if he teriorated, says Mishra, who wants to see India emerge as one of the leading powers of gets an opportunity. Thats what he a empted the world. to seek, leading to a na onal debate among The son of a re red physician, Mishra studstalwarts within the Bhara ya Janata Party ied economics and law at the University of San (BJP) camp and among many other pundits. Diego, California. A globetro ng professional, Even the media was surprised at his he has worked in Mumbai, Los Angeles, San emergence from almost nowhere. Diego, Chicago, New York, Washington DC and Mishra has projected himself as a man with London. A man with a wide reach, his list of faa mission. A 37-year-old nancial wizard, his mous friends includes the likes of Goldie philanthropic objec ve is to make sure that InHawn, Kevin Costner and Deepak Chopra. dian poli cs becomes cleaner, and the country A er having tried his hands at law and investmore prosperous as a consequence. Based in ment banking, he estabLondon and thoroughly mo vated by the delished sire to see India progress, Mishra has several things going for him. His lifes journey has been such that he has been exposed to the affairs of the world since a very young age. It is this experience and understanding that he wants to introduce to the Indian poli cal set-up. Born in Gorakhpur in India, the party of his choice is the BJP. The reason why he believes in BJP is because his mind is wedded to m bdul Kala conserva ve poli cs, nt APJ A r Preside forme his own making it the ideal ra with an Mish company choice for taking his caAnshum which reer forward. provides A spirinancial tually inadvisory clined services person, in EngMishra was land. merely 16 Needwhen he less to went to Holsay, it land with Mais a harishi Mahesh Yogi. A disciple of Yogi since then, he is also the founder of transcendental medita on jpayee
Anshum an Mish ra with rime former P Minister Atal Biha ri Va
Anshuman Mishra
Born in Gorakhpur in India, Mishra is of the view that he can serve the country of his birth best by joining politics. The party of his choice is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The reason why he believes in BJP is because his mind is wedded to conservative politics, making it the ideal choice for taking his career forward.
major success story. Mishra wanted to get into poli cs only a er he had made enough money. Having done that, he believes that his me to start his political career has nally arrived. Contribu ng to the process of Indias growth might be an objec ve for him because Mishra is a roman c at heart. How else can one explain why, despite having a ourishing career in LA, he chose to move to London because he could be close to his-then girlfriend? The rela onship didnt work out, the result being that this highly eligible and desirable bachelor is single at the moment. Mishra believes that he can bring investments to India, and also help in enhancing the quality of the healthcare sector. Young and dynamic poli cians with a sense of purpose being the need of the hour, many think that India needs the presence and poli cal par cipa on of an achiever like him.
PROFILE
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Mritunjay Kumar proles achievers from the NRI and PIO community
NGI NEWSMAKERS
SUMA CHAKRABARTI
Indo-Brit citizen chosen as President of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ABDUL RAZAK OSMAN
RAHUL NAGVEKAR
NRI becomes rst Muslim Lord Mayor of UK town

Indian-origin councillor Abdul Razak Osman has become the rst Lord Mayor of the Islamic faith to hold the high oce in the mul -cultural town of Leicester, which has a large minority of Indian origin people. Osman was born in Kenya and arrived in the UK in 1971. His late father Yousuf Razak worked with the East African Railway, and worked for a local engineering rm a er moving to Leicester. The Lord Mayor is Leicester's rst Ci zen and has a high prole role maintaining and promo ng the interests of the city and its ci zens, by a ending a variety of civic engagements during the year.
A Bri sh ci zen of Indian origin, Suma Chakrabar was chosen out of a group of ve candidates to become the new president of the European Bank for Reconstruc on and Development. Sixty three government shareholders of the bank chose Chakrabar as the new head. According to the Wall Street Journal, Chakrabar is a top civil servant at the Ministry of Jus ce in UK, and prior to that, was a top ocial at the Department for Interna onal Development. The EBRD was established in 1991 to help countries emerging from Communism make the transi on from centrally planned to market economies. Although most of its shareholders are European governments, its largest single shareholder is the US government.
HIMESH GANDHI
Indian-American elected to city council in Texas

A er several months of consistent campaigning, Indian-American Himesh Gandhi has been elected to a city council in the US state of Texas. Thirty-veyear-old Gandhi, elected to an 'At Large' seat on the the Sugar Land City Council here, received 2,468 votes (52.11 per cent) while Naomi Fulan Lam, a real estate broker, was in second place with 1,525 votes (32.20 per cent). Gandhi is a 20-year resident of Sugar Land who graduated from Clements High school, Houston Bapst University and South Texas School of Law. He currently serves on Sugar Land's Planning and Zoning Commission.
Boy of Indian origin Rahul Nagvekar wins National Geographic Bee

Fourteen-year-old Rahul Nagvekar Rahul Nagvekar took the top prize at the Na onal Geographic Bee. The rst- me contender in the na onal compe on will receive a $25,000 college scholarship along with a trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was the third me a student from Texas has won the bee in the last four years. Nagvekar said that maps have fascinated him for years, but he's not sure what he'll study when he gets to college in a few years. He started preparing for the geography bee in the fourth grade and has gone to the state bee every year, ge ng a higher rank each me. This year's bee began with local compe ons among four million students in schools across the country.
VIKRAM SINGH
Indian-American appointed to key Pentagon position

"Vikram J Singh has been appointed to the Senior Execu ve Service and is assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defence for south and Southeast Asia, Oce of the Under Secretary of Defence (Policy)," a Pentagon announcement said. Singh previously served as special assistant, Oce of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), it said. Singh was a close associate of late Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Representa ve for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He replaces Robert Scher, who has now been assigned as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Plans.
NEWSBIN
St Vincent to commemorate the 151st Anniversary of Indian arrival with International Indian Diaspora Conference
his year, the commemoration of Indian Arrival Day (IAD) in St. Vincent will be significantly different. There will be many activities leading to the 1st of June, the officially recognized IAD. As in previous years, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Indian Heritage Foundation will be organisng a re-enactment of the landing of Indians at Indian Bay, followed by a procession to Heritage Square, where there will be a display of Indian cuisine, among other activities. For the first time, there will be an International Indian Diaspora Conference from 1st to 3rd June, 2012. Since 1975, Indian Diaspora Conferences have been held mainly in Trinidad and Tobago and other larger territories. However, a decision was taken to organize one this year in St. Vincent to coincide with our IAD. It is being organized by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin International (GOPIO SVG) in collaboration with the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation, with support from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. GOPIO is an international organization representing some 25 million people in the Indian Diaspora. Participants will come from several countries such India, Sri Lanka, UK, US, Canada and the Caribbean. Delegates will include government ministers and diplomats, as well as other high-level officials. The Conference is jointly organized by Dr Kumar Mahabir, Co-Chair of the GOPIO Academic Council and Professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), and Dr Arnold Thomas, GOPIO International Coordinator for the Caribbean.
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To be held for three days, the Conference will begin with the Opening Ceremony at Peace Memorial Hall on Friday 1st June from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. in the presence of the Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves. Speeches will also be made by the President of GOPIO International, Minister of Culture, President of the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation and a Minister from Sri Lanka. A cultural presentation is also included in the opening programme. The Conference Programme for Saturday 2nd June, 2012 is from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Murray Heights Hotel, McKies Hill, Kingstown. There will be several panels discussing various topics such as conditions under which Indians came, cultural and religious adaptation, and integration and assimilation. Following a lunch break, participants will move to Diamond to join a Seventh Day Adventist Evangelistic Crusade, where there will be a special session dealing with the rise of Adventism among Indians in SVG and Belize between 3.00 to 4.00 p.m. On conclusion of this session, participants will return to Murray Heights for the concluding session from 5.00 to 8.00 p.m. On Sunday 3rd June, 2012, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., participants will be taken on an island tour to places of interest climaxing in Argyle where SVG Indian Heritage Foundation is having a Family Fun Day. There are also several activities planned for the Argyle event. There is no registration fee for the Conference, and the general public is invited, especially students and teachers.
NR I
NEWSBIN
Rohit Jain takes a sneak peek on the NRIs engagement in various elds
Punjab tightens the law for NRI grooms

Punjab government has announced to bring a new comprehensive law by August to tackle the issue of desertion of brides by NRI grooms. The law would not only help to check the fraudulent grooms but would also help to tighten noose around them if they would cheat their wives. This was announced by Punjab Dy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while addressing a national level seminar on Overseas Marriages, he said that there were around 15,000 such cases in Punjab alone which were half of the entire cases of India which were estimate to be around 30,000. The other states which were suffering from this menace included Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan and now Haryana was also witnessing rise in such cases. He added "registration of marriage by an NRI would be mandatory". Sukhbir also liked the idea of his MP wife Harsimrat Badal that a website should also be maintained where photographs of such cheater grooms and their families should also be pasted. "This would not only shame these grooms and families across the world but would also help to check further frauds by them as in such cases grooms indulge in polygamy," Harsimrat said. A Helpline for such deserted brides was also launched by Sukhbir. The complaints thus registered on helpline would then reach the Sanjh Kendras and then would be monitored by senior officers.
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First South Asian film fest concludes in Washington
The first edition of annual DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) came to an end with the screening of Dev Anand's Hum Dono, fully restored in colour. Attended by a host of celebrities from the Indian film industry, the the threeday-long festival, sponsored by Ceasar Productions, kicked off with the Shyam Benegal classic Mammo. Another highlight was Deepti Naval's directorial debut, Do Paise ki Dhoop,
NEWSBIN
Chaar Aane ki Baarish. Other highlights of the weekend included a Bengal retrospective, acting and filmmaking workshops, short films directed by local artists, and the Washington DC premiere of Indian American filmmaker Manan Singh Katohora's Bollywood style thriller, 9 Eleven. Besides Benegal others attending the festival included Ketan Mehta, Manisha Koirala, Rajit Kapur, and Suneil Anand.
You can love India, hate India, but you can't ignore India: Lavesh Lakhina
A second generation Indian, Lavesh Lakhina is a familiar name in the Dutch industrial and political circles. Over the last few years, 36-year-old Lakhina has built a specialised recruitment firm, HumanR, which provides high quality Indian talent to companies across The Netherlands. Not just that, this young NRI is helping forge deeper ties between the two nations through business and cultural exchange. Born to an Indian family that moved to Holland in the1960s, Lavesh studied Economics at the Hague University and went on to do his masters in economics from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Even though his father owned a successful textile business in the country, Lavesh wanted to create a separate identity for himself. "I wanted to experience the corporate world before starting my own venture. And I gained a lot of insights and learnings, which were very useful later on," says Lavesh. Soon, the entrepreneurial bug got the better of him and Lavesh started the recruitment firm, HumanR. "Back in 2006, I was reading a lot about the growth of the Indian economy and that the country was producing so many highly skilled professionals. At the same time, skilled workforce, especially in the IT domain, was in short supply over here. I decided to be the match-maker and that is how HumanR was born," says Lavesh. He, along with a friend, started the firm in 2007 and, unlike other recruitment companies, the professionals are on the pay-rolls of HumanR, enjoying full employee benefits, but working exclusively on clients that require their services. "We took the full responsibility of the person who moved from India, taking care of all his needs and that was our distinguishing factor," adds Lavesh. Today, HumanR has placed hundreds of professionals across IT, finance, engineering and nursing domains. In 80 per cent of the cases, they are absorbed by the company. During the first year of HumanR, Lavesh realized that even though he was able to offer great economic opportunity and work environment to Indian professionals, they did feel culturally aloof. "To address this culture gap by bringing the Indian society close, I started a nonprofit organization called the Indian Expat Society in 2009. It is this one portal for Indians to connect, share their experiences, concerns and find solutions," adds Lavesh. The Indian Expat Society now has close to 1,500 members and the organization works closely with the Dutch Government and the corporate sector to ensure that Indians get better benefits and their concerns are addressed. Lavesh now aims to take this to another level and be engaged full-time in building ties and advising companies on both sides to benefit from a deeper partnership. The idea is to help Indian and Dutch companies to do business in each other's country and, at the same time, facilitate a better understanding through events, exhibitions and discussions. There are several areas where India can benefit tremendously from expertise and experience of Dutch companies. "India is the next economic power. It is a successful democracy with wellfunctioning legal institutions, has a young population and a sound economy. Some may argue that things are slow, but you can love India or hate India, you can't ignore India, says Lavesh. Source: IndiaConnect, www.oifc.in
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ji has been created a Knight by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh ji from GNNSJ, Birmingham has been awarded a knighthood from the Roman Catholic church for his outstanding work in world religions and Interfaith diversity. Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ji has been created a Knight by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of his dedicated work to Roman Catholic -Sikh relations and for his enthusiastic commitment to working for peace among people of all faith.
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BUILDING A SUCCESS STORY

Ruqya Khan meets the savvy, award-winning entrepreneur Rizwan Sajan for a freewheeling chat
I begin by congratula ng Rizwan Sajan on yet another milestone reached. Minutes before our mee ng, I got wind of the buzz around the oce - Danube Building Materials FZCO has once again won the coveted Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MRM) Business Award! And thats not all. Less than a week before that, they had won the Dubai Customs Award 2012. At rst glance, he seems calm and composed. But as the astute businessman begins to speak, I realise that he can barely suppress his excitement. Life will take you where you are meant to be only if you are willing to go that extra mile. I just can't take no for an answer, not even from myself. I love ge ng things done, come what may. My philosophy is simple because that is how I am. Plan strategically, step up and follow the system to ensure quality, he says. Awards and recogni ons are tes mony to the fact that our team has worked very hard to excel in quality across all our business
processes. They mo vate our team to strive even harder, and achieve the highest possible standards of quality, performance and business excellence. They set our benchmark higher. Grinning broadly, he adds, We are delighted and thankful to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) for honoring us with this Award. Danube has always been driven by a passion for emphasizing on the quality of our products and services. This award reaffirms our commitment to deliver quality through our reliable products and impeccable services. By the way, this is the second time in a row that we have been honoured by MRM. The MRM Business Award recognizes outstanding performance of companies in categories such as manufacturing, finance, re-export, construction, etc. It is one of the most prestigious recognitions in the country as it highlights the best business practices and excellent performance of an organiza-
tions functioning focusing on three main performance indicators- output, outcome and impact. It helps businesses interact with each other, identify and improve their strategies and provides an opportunity to evaluate and analyze their own business performance to attain excellence. STEP BACK IN TIME Simple, humble and blessed with a sense of humour, Sajan had to work for every bit of his successes. Coming from a middle class family, he always knew that if he needed money he would have to work to get it. He began to develop his business instincts even as a little boy in school. He would sell books when the school reopened, deliver newspapers in the neighbourhood and even sell crackers during festivals. His entrepreneurial spirit was further honed when his father, Asgharali would discuss his official matters at home. It gave Sajan an insight into the commercial world.
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WHEN THE GOING GOT TOUGH... Life was rela vely comfortable un l his father passed away. But a er his death, young Sajan had to shoulder the responsibility of his home. He was given a part- me job in the company that his father worked in. They dealt in building materials. He would study by day, and work in the evenings. Those were tough mes. They taught me not just how to earn a living and sustain a family. I learnt how to earn dignity and keep my place and name. I understood people but, more than that, I understood how I want to be. NEW FRONTIERS A er gradua ng from the university, Sajan went abroad. He took up a job in Kuwait as a salesman in his uncles company. They also dealt in building materials and the likes. He started on a salary of merely AED 1,500. But, due to his hard work and commitment, it grew 12-fold within the nine years that he was there. Life was perfect. Work was good. I was content. I got married. We were blessed with a baby boy soon. And then, in a blink, that changed. We had to uproot ourselves from Kuwait due to the Gulf War of 1990 and go back to India. I was back again where I started. A er trying to nd his ground in India, he decided it was me to go back to the Gulf. He arrived in Dubai, and began working as a commission agent liaising between his business associates in Kuwait and Dubai. Two years later, in 1993, he pooled all his savings and started his own business. It was a risk that I had to take. If I did not put that trust in my dreams, thats all that they would have remained dreams. Almost 20 years later, his dream has grown into one of the largest business companies in the region, with its branches worldwide spread across UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India, in addi on to procurement ofces in China and Canada. In 2010, it recorded 46 per cent growth and, this year, it expects a turnover of AED 12 billion. The company operates from its head ofces in JAFZA with logis cs facili es across the region which amounts to Five million sq. feet and includes kiln drying facility, factory and warehouses of the group. They have a team of 1,300 plus people working across strategic loca ons across the Emirates. The company has been and is currently involved in major projects across the UAE, Oman and Bahrain, including Emirates Hills, the Burj Al Arab, Shangri-La Hotel, Grand Hya , Motor City, Burj Dubai, Dubai Airport Terminal 3, Yas Island, Reem Island, Saadiyat Island, and Al Raha Beach Hotel, among others. We have 36 showrooms across the GCC and India. Plans are underway to expand to Africa, Sri Lanka and Libya. Earlier this year, we added eight stores to our eet. Indeed the growth has been phenomenal. But this is only because of the trust that the customers have placed in our work and products. It is their
INTERVIEW
Rizwan Sajan during an event
support that has materialised as our growth. Building on that, I aim is to have at least one or two branches opening each month. Now that would be a top class achievement! says Sajan. A COMBINED EFFORT It is reassuring to know that a man with so many feathers in his cap is absolutely humble, and s ll considers himself a learner. There is no arrogance in his voice, just humility and the joy of team successes. A company can only be as strong as its team. In our oces, we are all one and we work with a lot of synergy. There is an enthusiasm to build and grow. We take pride in what we oer, and we do not rank anyone in categories. Its one big family that works together, celebrates together and grows together. We have annual picnics, family days and oce pares to mark the na onal days and fes ve occasions of our employees. We par cipate in cricket tournaments and win them year a er year a er year. Its rewarding to see the passion that we all share. While he is denite that his team is his biggest asset, he is also clear that the companys USP is their forward thinking and modern approach. Having more than 25,000 products under one roof is a unique concept that caters to all customers. While it is popular in western countries, it was unheard of in this region. During my travels to the US, I saw this concept store and thought of using the idea here. When we started our business, the market was abuzz with experts in respec ve sectors. We came as a one-stop shop and gained ground. We are the only company that deals with everything that you need in a house right from wall paneling to chandeliers, sanitary ngs to outdoor garden furniture, wall papers, curtains, light ngs, oorings, etc. Our customers are diverse. He can be a single- me purchaser who is looking for some-
thing for his home or an interior designer who is revamping his clients shop or even a bulk buyer who wants to retail in his own store. We have it all!he says,.You must know who your customers are and what they need. You must source the best there is. Only then can you be the winner. Maintaining a steady growth gure even during the peak nancial crisis would not have been possible if we had let ourselves slacken in any area. CHANGE IS CONSTANT Sajan believes in reinven ng his approach every me. He appreciates the need to be ahead of his me and his peers. This reects not just in his knowledge of the latest trends, but also in the new brand iden ty that Danube recently adopted. Modern and appealing, the new iden ty is a turning point in the companys history. It reects our growth, dynamism, diversity and values. It is reec ve of the long journey that Danube has seen while becoming a leading provider of building materials and home interior products. Sajan has come a long way. Yet he faces each day with school-boyish excitement. He is on the list of the richest Indians across the world, but yet loves all things simple. Money is only a tool for buying luxury, not a means to true happiness. You can have the best houses, horses, cars, jewellery, gadgets, everything but it is all meaningless if you don't do it with someone you care for. You need an anchor in your life. For me, that solace is in my home. I treasure the moments with my family and friends. I admire the ight of the eagle, and I love to soar too. But for me, its important to have my feet on the ground. The a tude of gra tude drives me. In it, I nd peace and from it is my success, he concludes. Best wishes Rizwan. May you con nue to build right and conquer much higher peaks in life.
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September 20-23, 2012, New York, USA
A tribute to Swami Vivekananda on his 150th birth Anniversary As you have come into this world, leave some mark behind
GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide
The Global Indian Business Meet, 2012

An Initiative of the NGI Foundation Date: September, 20-23, 2012, Venue: Marriott Marquis, Times Square, Manhattan, NYC Theme: Doing Business in Challenging Times - the Indian Way. Global Networking for Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Growth.
PARTNER ORGANISATIONS
A must attend business event for entrepreneurs, business leaders & investors to develop strategies in times of economic slowdown
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What is GIBM
The Global Indian Business Meet is the first ever global meet bringing together Indian origin CEOs and heads of businesses from around the world, leaders from various Indian, North American and other states & cities along with Entrepreneurs and Investors.
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Largest ever India-focused global business platform with participation of the Indian Diaspora from more than 25 countries in the centre of global business, New York City.
n n A global platform for forward-thinking Indians living all over the globe, connecting them to generate resources, interactions, visibility, branding, networking, technology & knowledge share, business partnerships, new ideas and investment opportunities.
GIBM Mission
n Impacting global business, and thereby human development, by taking the best Indian run enterprises and the new resurgent India to the world, thus chartering new avenues for investment, partnership, entrepreneurship and building sustainable growth models.
Some of the dignitaries expected to grace the event
Pranab Mukherjee
John Bryson
Anand Sharma
Andrew Cuomo
Suruj Rambachan
Lord Meghnad Desai
Tarun Khanna
Vivek Wadhwa
Debashish Chatterjee
Rajiv Kumar
Ratan Tata
Narayan Murthy
Chanda Kochhar
Naveen Jindal
Muthu Raman
Gururaj Deshpande
Sam Pitroda
Ajit Manocha
Ajay Banga
Padmasree Warrior
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Lakshmi Mittal Ashok Rao Ganesh Natarajan Ashish Chauhan Swadesh Chatterjee.
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1. Being part of a new vision. 2. Sharing and being part of a global partnership platform. 3. Networking with successful global Business & Technology Leaders, Politicians & Investors. 4. Forming Strategic Alliances and Partnerships; Global Investment Opportunities - M&As /JVs etc. 5. Platform to show-case products, services, new business and investment opportunities. 6. Exploring new business ideas, models, strategies and ways to conduct business during an economic downturn. 7. Understanding the best global practices in Trade, Research & Development and Consulting (applicable for SMEs). 8. Exploring new opportunities in various Indian, North American, Caribbean countries, states and cities. 9. Taking advantage of the phenomenal Indian Growth Story and the Opportunities ahead amid continuing global slowdown. 10. Meeting peers from across the globe, present your leadership, share, learn and network.
10 REASONS FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT!
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Directly or indirectly he has powerfully influenced the India of today builder of modern India. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India. ..no better use can be made of asceticism, science and the good name of our common country; and I know not who could make a more fitting general of such a campaign than Vivekananda. Do you think you would care to apply yourself to the mission of galvanizing into life of our ancient traditions in this respect? Letter of Jamshedji N. Tata (Founder of Tata Group of Industries), 23rd November 1898.
A TRIBUTE TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON HIS 150th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY.
Birth of Tata Industries and Indian Institute of Science followed after their meeting. Can Man control [the ] grandest, most awe inspiring of all processes in nature?...If he could do this, he would have powers almost unlimited and supernatural... He could cause planes to collide and produce his suns and stars, his heat and light. He could originate and develop life in all its infinite forms....[Such powers] would place him beside his creator, make him fulfill his ultimate destiny. A clarion call by scientist Nikola Tesla for the ultimate innovation to solve the challenges of humanity who was distinctly influenced by Vivekananda, whose countrymen gave the number system and much more to the world.
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Thursday - September 20 n Private Dinner (by invitation only) with Dignitaries and Speakers. n Entertainment: Indian Classical Music. Friday - 21st September
GIBM 2012 PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Business Leaders' Summit n Keynote Address by Indian Finance Minister, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee. n Special Address by US Secretary of Commerce, Mr. John Bryson. n Panels, discussions and interactions of top Business Leaders with the delegates. India Business Summit Inauguration n Panel of Chief Ministers/State Government Senior Representatives. n Dinner followed by world class dance & entertainment! Cocktails & Saturday - 22nd September Entrepreneurs' Summit nPlenary Session: Inaugural Theme: Incubating a world of Entrepreneurship - A Summit on Entrepreneurial Excellence. n Panels, Interactive Discussions and Hands-on learning sessions. n Pitching Session: Entrepreneurs' presentation, highly rated business plans before Business leaders and Investors for support. n with domain experts on practical subject matters among Discussions Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders, Bankers, Academics, Venture Capitalists & Financial Consultants. Investors' Summit nSummit Inaugural Plenary Session. Investors' n Discussions/Panels. India Business Summit n Opportunities in various Indian states, regions and cities including select SEZs seeking investors. n opportunities among various states and cities around the world. Partnership Partnership Summit Partnership opportunities among various states and cities around the world. Networking Forums n Business Tie-ups nEntrepreneurs Financing n and Business models of future Businesses n Technologies Transfer of Evening Program n Dinner Cocktail & n NGI Excellence Awards n Entertainment: Bollywood/World Music Show Sunday - 23rd September n Entrepreneurs' Sessions n State Sessions n Forums Networking Closing Session Entrepreneurship & Investment: Plenary Session
Business Leaders' Summit Entrepreneurs' Summit Investors' Summit
India Business Summit Partnership Summit
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GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET UNIQUENESS
Business Leaders Summit Fully dedicated day for the business leaders. First time for many global Indian origin business leaders to meet, discuss, support and network. Entrepreneurs Summit For current and future Entrepreneurs - Inspiration, motivation, mentoring from successful leaders as well as supported by investors. Major networking opportunity. Investors Summit Full one day exchange of notes and partnerships among Venture Capitalists, Angel investors and business leaders. India Business Summit First time in the US multiple Indian state & private entities to interact with businesses, knowledge-experts and investors. Partnership Summit Another first time effort to connect with various statecity-region to state-city-region partnerships in all areas including business, technology and education.
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VENUE & ACCOMODATION

Located in the heart of the Times Square and the Broadway theater district, Marriot Marquis at Manhattan, New York, is an ideal locale for weekend getaways and family and business events. Complete with well-appointed rooms and suites, high-speed elevators, famed Marriott service, creative catering and a variety of ballrooms, restaurants, and lounges, the one-stop address has several spin-offs: Fifth Avenue shopping, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios and the Central Park. It is also close to other Big Apple touristy attractions like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the UN and Madison Square Garden.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

New Global Indian Foundation (NGIF - USA and India): The NGI Foundation was established in 2010 to take up projects that impact societies by augmenting the empowerment of young minds. Center for Development and Policy Studies (CDPS) and NGI Entrepreneurship Development Project was launched in India in 2011 to identify, train, and support large number of potential young entrepreneurs. CDPS plans to work with various states in India in the areas of Environment, Water, Health, Education and many more. Similar projects are being planned by NGIF in other parts of the world. GIBM 2012 is being organized by the New Global Indian Foundation in association with numerous Indian, American and other global organizations. Indian origin global business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and Indian governments (both the Centre and the states) along with many associations and groups are coming together for three days to offer the following: To To To To Inspire and Strategize Plan and Give Direction Explore New Opportunities Network and Support
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ORGANISERS
CONVENERS: Vijay Nahata, Chairman, Global Entrepreneur Haimanti Banerjee, Chairperson, NGI Foundation, USA Kanchan Banerjee, Chairman, New Global Indian, USA Ujjwal K. Chowdhury, Managing Editor, NGI, India K Sudhakar Murthy, Publisher, Middle East, NGI and Group CEO, Acore Group,UAE GLOBAL MANAGEMENT TEAM Deepak Choudhary, Project Head, India Sai Ranganath, Media Advisor, Managing Director & CEO, Polestar Content and Media Pvt. Ltd. Deepak Gandhi, Head, Relationships & Operations, Delhi-NCR Laurence Singer, Event manager and Legal Counsel, USA Hema Mahase, Registration and Office manager, USA Yasmin Chandra Singh, Coordinator, UK RECEPTION COMMITTEE Alkesh Patel, Chairman, Asian American Hotel Owners' Association (AAHOA) Andy Shenoy, Indo-American Pro, NY Ashook Ramsaran, Chairman, Global Organization for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Lal Motwani, President, National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) Dr. Sunita Kanumury, President, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Susmita Shekhar, PHD Chamber Secretary General ADVISORS Dr. Basant Tariyal, Former CTO and VP Operations, Lucent Technologies Chandrakant Patel, Former Chairman, Asian American Hotel Owners' Association (AAHOA) Debashish Chatterjee, IIM Kochi (Program) Jitendra Kumar, Chair, FICCI-USA Dr. Mahesh Mehta, Former Director R&D, Koch Membrane, MA Narpat Bhandari, Global Indian International School Pritwiraj Choudhary, Wharton (Program)
PARTNER ORGANISATIONS
FICCI - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India established in 1927. Its history is closely interwoven with Indias struggle for independence, its industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global economies. FICCI has contributed to this historical process by encouraging debate, articulating the private sectors views and influencing policy. A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of Indias business and industry.FICCI draws its membership from the corporate sector, both private and public, including SMEs and MNCs; FICCI enjoys an indirect membership of over 2,50,000 companies from various regional chambers of commerce. The Asian American Hotel Owners Association AAHOA is THE voice of owners in the hospitality industry. Founded in 1989, AAHOA is now one of the fastest-growing organizations in the industry, with nearly 11,000 members owning more than 20,000 hotels that total $128 billion in property value. AAHOA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of its members by inspiring excellence through programs and initiatives in advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community involvement. AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. Motto: Unity of Purpose Collegiality in Action Commitment to Excellence and Compassion towards Fellow-beings Vision: Promote professional solidarity in the pursuit of excellence in patient care, teaching and research. Bring American medicine the distinctive contributions from India, and advance the American creed of one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) welcomes you to GOPIO's international network of people of Indian origin (PIO). GOPIO was founded at the First Global Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York in 1989. The initial thrust of GOPIO was fighting human rights violation of people of Indian origin. Although this has been improved in the last one decade, human rights violations continue to be a major issue for PIOs living outside India. GOPIO has now set its priorities in pooling our resources, both financial and professional, for the benefit of PIOs, the countries they come from and India. National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA), established in 1980, aims to unify the diverse Indian American community by coordinating and promoting the activities of its member associations. Highlight of its activities over the past many years. NFIA has been in the forefront of activities in US-India relations for over two decades, organizing Congressional lunches, White House briefings, lobbying on better US-India relationship and has prepared position papers on this relationship for US Congress and Senate. NFIA organized the first Conference on building economic bridges between US & India in New Delhi (2003) to bring about better relations between US-India. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1905, is a proactive and dynamic multi-State apex organisation working at the grass-root level and with strong national and international linkages.The Chamber acts as a catalyst in the promotion of industry, trade and entrepreneurship. PHD Chamber, through its research-based policy advocacy role, positively impacts the economic growth and development of the nation.
Contact Information Kanchan Banerjee 001-617-306-6609 (USA) kanchan@newglobalindian.com Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury +91-9373311239 (India) ukc@newglobalindian.com K Sudhakar Murthy 00971506545894 (Dubai) ksm@acore.co Deepak Choudhary +91-9821899753 (India) deepak.choudhary@gibm2012.org info@gibm2012.org Website: www.gibm2012.org Delhi : First Floor, D1/4, Aacharya Niketan, Mayur Vihar Phase - 1, New Delhi 110091
www.ngifoundation.org
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An Initiative of NGI Foundation www.gibm2012.org
Mumbai : 1/68 Om Heera Panna Shopping centre, Behind Oshiwara Police Station, Off New Link Road, Oshiwara, Andheri West, Mumbai, 400102. USA: 109, Gulliver Street, Milton, MA 02186 USA Middle East: 307 B, Mina Building, Al Mina Road, Bur Dubai, P.O Box 102604, Dubai, UAE.
We invite you to be a part of this historic meet and seek your support in the form of participation and sponsorships.
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Why should you invest in real estate, and how should you do it? Sunil Jaiswal, the President and CEO of the Sumansa Group, is passionate about sharing the answers with everyone seeking to buy property. In conversation with Mritunjay Kumar
Sunil Jaiswal is a man with a vision. As the President and CEO of the Sumansa Group with interests in dierent sectors of the property market, his professional objec ve is to teach people how to buy property. But while he does that by drawing from his wealth of experience, what he also does is make sure that people learn how to help themselves. His journey through life has been a momentous one. He has been a child prodigy, a rock superstar, a self-taught IT consultant, and today, is the leading educator on property in the United Kingdom. A er having built a mul -million pound por olio in the UK, Jaiswal realised that people could benet from his insight developed through experiences in life. What he set out to do is give them knowledge and condence to make crucial decisions. This man with a vision wants to create a tomorrow that is be er, dierent, meaningful. Excerpts from an interview that outlines his achievements and aspira ons: You have achieved so much. What made you focus on a business to teach people how to buy property, and prot from it? With real estate, you can actually create a lot of wealth for yourself. I love to teach people this because real estate is a beau ful way of making money and it helps you achieve whatever goals you have in life. Everybody needs a house. Over here in Dubai, nobody likes to live on the street. There are many fundamental quali es of real estate, making it a great investment for anyone who wants to buy property and achieve their dreams. Tell us about the Sumansa Group. My partners and I started Sumansa Group back in 2006 purely out of our passion for real estate. We were real estate investors and entrepreneurs who came to Dubai. We told each other that heres an opportunity to do something that had been never done before, and that was to bring real estate from India to Dubai on a massive scale and showcase it for what it is. Later that year, we had our rst exhibion at Airport Expo which turned out to be a phenomenal success. In June, we will have our tenth exhibi on at the Indian Property Show. The last six years have been a fun ride. We obviously had a rollercoaster ride when the markets crashed a couple of years ago because things werent moving in the real estate sector for most people. But we have a real estate company here which helps people invest in real estate in India. We have also explored other sectors, have started doing some development in India ourselves and we have our own development company over there. My passion is actually IT and technology and so we have another IT business and some technology businesses that Im involved in as well. Even though our primary interest lies in the real estate sector, Sumansa Group has diversied into many other sectors too. Fundamentally, were all about having fun, enjoying the challenges that come our way, and crea ng value for everyone who is involved in our businesses. Being an educator, you conduct many property courses and workshops. What makes you to do so? When you look at some of the most successful people such as Donald Trump or Warren Buet, you would realize that they have shared their success with the people around them. For me, thats exactly how it started back in 2003. I had been nancially free for about a year back then, and had achieved quite a bit of success in real estate. One ne morning, I decided that I wanted to share this with people and teach them how to achieve their dreams through real estate. I remember the rst course that I did back in the UK. We had about 12 people in a room, and I simply shared what I knew in a one-day-long session. Once that session was over, I instantly knew that I wanted to con nue to share my knowledge and help people. Three months later, every person who had a ended that rst course had bought a piece of real estate in the UK in a no-money-down deal. Its just about being crea ve around real estate, and thats what Im really passionate to teach people about. So
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whenever I can, I do courses on real estate or my new business which is basically to build apps for the iPhone. A few years back, when the market had experienced a crash, how did you manage to convince people to invest in real estate? I wish that I was able to convince people to invest in real estate when there was a crash because that is the best me to invest in real estate. I mean look at it this way. If you go to a supermarket and buy bananas for AED 10 a dozen and suddenly the price drops to AED 5, wouldnt you want to buy more than just a dozen? But theres something about real estate that makes people pull back instead of going all out and buying more property during a market crash. Its funny why people are like that with real estate but thats just how it is. All were trying to do is convince people to invest in real estate as its a way of achieving their dreams, especially if youre looking at it from an equity growth angle. If I buy low and sell high a er a few years, I denitely need to be in it for the long term. If you look at it in from long term point of view, real estate is a phenomenal investment. People who have bought real estate in the last few years have already seen that prices of their property have doubled. It gets even be er when you realize that these people who bought property a few years ago needed to make a 10 or 15 percent deposit. So, if the property cost one crore, that means making a deposit of fteen lakhs. Today, what has doubled is not their een lakhs but one crore. Now everyone can look back and say that I wish I had bought real estate back then. Yet, if you ask them if they are going to buy property today, theyre s ll not sure. As long as you invest in real estate for the long term, its very hard to lose money. What is the main mo o behind the Indian Property Show in Dubai? Is it going to other countries apart from the UAE? We just really want to showcase real estate of India. Although Im only half Indian and Ive spent quite a number of years in Bangalore, I am s ll very passionate about India. Every me I land in an Indian airport, I get the feeling that Im home. So all were trying to do is showcase the phenomenal market of India in Dubai. People dont seem to realize that if you look at India as a market, the size of that market is roughly around 1.3 billion people. Thats more than the en re popula on of Europe. There are lots of Indians around the world who would be interested in such a prime investment. Our passion was really to take this on as a challenge and ask ourselves if we can pull o the biggest show of Indian real estate outside of India and guess what? We achieved our goals in the very rst year. Are we going to other countries? Yes of course! Weve been to South Africa, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and more, and we have plans to do many more shows in the future too. The Indian Property Show in Dubai is a great pla orm for both exhibitors to showcase their proper es as well as visitors to get a great spectrum of proper es in a very short me in one place. Why is India the best des na on for investment? Is the fall of the rupee a rac ng NRIs/PIOs to invest in India? I dont think that I can convincingly say that India is the best place for investment although it is the best op on right now for most Indians here in the UAE. Anyone who is looking at inves ng has to look at all the op ons and consider the most important reason for his investment. Lets say that someones inves ng for equity growth to make money by selling the property a er a few years. Poten ally, India is a very good place because of the sheer demand and the growth of the country. You can pick an outskirt loca on, and you will s ll do very well. Two years ago, someone bought a few proper es and saw a hundred percent growth in some parts of India, and y percent in other parts. India is a good des na on for Indians in the UAE because, at some point, they all have to go home. Every Indian who is here in the UAE knows that they are not going to be here forever. So for an Indian in the UAE, India is one of the best places to invest in real estate. To answer your second ques on, the minute the exchange rate is in favor of someone in the UAE, the payments of your property in India will come down. That means that you can afford a bigger property or spend more money on your payments each month and pay o your home loans faster. So its mostly favorable except when the exchange rate uctuates and your payment goes up. Its very important not to get carried away by the uctua ons of the exchange rate, especially if youre looking at an investment. Its very cri cal to keep the long term view in mind. Rates will go up and come down, so youve got to look at the average rate for the long term. Is it true that satellite ci es in India are giving be er returns than the metros? My view is that you can go anywhere in the world, any city, no ma er how big or how small, and you can s ll nd a deal. Its the skill of an investor to go into this market and know how to nd a good deal. On the face of it, are there good deals in every city? Of course there are! Are there more good deals available in er two ci es? That actually depends on what youre looking for. For example, if you go to the outskirts of any big city, satellite towns are being developed on a property of around two to three hundred acres, which is a massive piece of property. To invest in one of those proper es is a good bet. Three to four years down the line, that development is going to start taking shape and the prices are going to see a drama c increase. So if you buy something for around 2000 rupees a square foot, youre going to see roughly the same kind of apprecia on in terms of y to a hundred percent per year for the short term. Once that property gets developed and is sta-
INTERVIEW
ble, youre not going to see the same kind of growth rates. So if youre looking for a short term investment, its a good idea to nd a reputed builder and buy property in an out of town loca on. What advice would you like to give those who wish to own property? The most important thing that I tell people is to rstly understand why youre buying property. Understand your mo ve behind buying a property in India. Are you looking for a place to stay when you re re? Are you looking for short term benets? Are you looking to make money each month from the property? The reason why understanding your investment needs are so important is because whats good for me as an investment may not be good for you and vice versa. Just because your friend goes and buys something, that investment may not be something that youre looking for. Be clear about your objec ves of buying real estate and that will actually lter out a lot of proper es that are available for you to invest in. Do lots of research. Its very important that you do research on the developer and check his track record. I think every developer in India will nd someone whos got a problem with them. Its like the airlines; you cant aord to please everyone. But look at the track record of the builder. How are they maintaining their current projects? Once youve done a lot of research and youve understood the reason youre buying the property, the last and most important thing to do is actually buy it. Because if youre worried about the prices going up or the prices going down, youre never going to be able to actually buy property at all. I met a guy at the Indian Property Show a few years ago who said that twenty years ago he had two lakhs which he wanted to invest in a property but he threw it away because the property prices were too high. Then prices went up to ve lakhs. At that me he had four lakhs, and could not invest in the property because the prices were too high again. He always wanted to buy property but he never bought. Now, twenty years later the price of that property is one crore. Hes s ll deciding if he should buy it. Thats how real estate works. It goes up over a long term. Also make sure that you get the property documents checked as this is a very important thing for any property deal. Just because youre buying property from a huge builder and they have reputed banks backing them up, it doesnt mean that you shouldnt go and check the documenta on yourself. Speak to a lawyer and understand what their contract says. Anything else you would like to share with our readers? All Ill say is that if you have a dream, whatever that dream is, youve got to do it. Lifes not going to wait for you. The ming will never be right, the money will never be right, and the situa ons are never going to be perfect, but youve s ll got to follow your heart and go and do it. Dont let anything stop you.
SOCIETY
38
LADY WITH THE LAMP

Sunitha Krishnan has been working tirelessly to combat the epidemic of tracking. Yasmin Chandra-Singh reports on the committed lady and others who are ghting a battle against this menace
A er six Londoners were charged with human tracking oences against an Indian woman from Hyderabad, the Asian community came out in full force to combat the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Sunitha Krishnan, the woman credited with igni ng India's an -tracking movement, shocked and inspired audiences at a recent series of high-prole events in London to rally support for the ght against child tracking and abuse. Her words were hard-hi ng, and at mes, heartbreaking. Listed by the Newsweek magazine among the '150 Women Who Shake The World', Sunitha described the horror of four-year-old girls drugged and sold into pros tu on by gangsters. She recounted the assaults on her by criminal gangs in the form of bea ngs, acid a acks and death threats during the course of her work to liberate hundreds of women and children. Joining her on the pla orm was acvist Pooja Taparia who works with vic ms of sexual abuse in Mumbai. Breaking the Silence is the brainchild of Bina Ranis visionary organisa on, iPartner India. Launched between the 12th and 16th of May across a number of pres gious venues, this campaign galvanised the movers and shakers into pledging ac on and funds to combat the epidemic of tracking. Demonstra ng solidarity for the cause by their presence were many inuen al UK-based Asians including Salil She y, the Secretary General of Amnesty Interna onal. BBC presenter Anita Rani told how she was humbled and honoured, as the Hyderabad-based an - child tracking crusader cap vated audiences with her profound and thought-provoking presenta ons. Joining the ght were many celebri es. Rishi and Meenal Sachdev organised a spectacular charity ball at their T5 Hilton Hotel. Renowned ar st Sacha Jafri presented one of his pain ngs for auc on, raising over 100,000 for the cause. Lord and Lady Noon hosted a lavish dinner at their residence. Padma Shri award winner Priya Paul and her husband Sethu Vaidyanathan, along with Harpal Randhawa, organised a gathering at their Mayfair home. Baroness Royall invited peers to a recep on for Sunitha at the House of Lords, and Senior Managing Directors from Goldman Sachs including Krishna Rao, met with Sunitha and pledged substan al sums of money. Human tracking generates 20 billion annually and aects an es mated 2.5 million women and children at any given moment. iPartner India is dedica ng the proceeds from this rst tour of the UK by Sunitha to a select group of projects working in India and the UK to break the violent cycles of abuse and to rescue tracked children. Details of the iPartner India an -tracking fund: www.ipartnerindia.org/fund
Breaking the Silence series was hosted in partnership with iPartner India, a charity at the forefront of a new kind of international philanthropy, dedicated to encouraging sustainable giving towards the most pressing development issues facing modern India. Since its inception in 2006, iPartner India has raised and advised on philanthropic investments to the value of over 5 million. Its work to date has improved the lives of over 100,000 women and children in some of the poorest regions of India. For more information, visit www.ipartnerindia.org Sunitha Krishnan has been honoured by CNN as a Real Hero, recognised at TED as a world class thinker and doer and listed by Newsweek amongst the '150 Women Who Shake The World'. She is the co-founder of the rescue organisation Prajwala in Hyderabad. that rescues young children and women. Prajwala runs 17 schools throughout Hyderabad for 5,000 children and has rescued more than 2,500 women from prostitution, 1,500 of whom Sunitha has personally liberated. PoojaTaparia is a young designer, performer, activist, philosopher and founder of Arpan which works in Mumbai for victims of sexual abuse. Proceeds from the anti- child trafficking campaign will go to support India-based anti-child trafficking projects such as Prajwala in Hyderabad, Gram Niyojan in Rajasthan, Odanadi in Mysore, Arpan in Mumbai, plus UK-based charity The Helen Bamber Foundation.
It's easy to stay silent, but needs tremendous courage to break the silence. Bina Rani CEO iPartner India
Most people think that this cant happen in my home or my class, but the truth is, it does. Pooja Tapari (on sexual abuse)
"I live for the smile of the children, I live for the hope in their eyes." Sunitha Krishnan
SOCIETY
40
The Search for an Identity

Dr Navniit Gandhi explores the challenges that successful and qualied professional Indian women face when relocating from India to Kuwait. Is compromise the only way?
Sejal had done her LL.B. in New Delhi. Excited and exuberant about what lay ahead in life, she came to Kuwait two years ago a er her marriage. Today, she is si ng at home, idle. Nirmala is a Ph.D in Na onal Security. Unable to secure a job as a Lecturer or Professor in Kuwait, she remains at home. Its been four years. Sakina is a post-graduate in Commerce. She was not comfortable working in just about any oce environment. Her husband did not muster the right vaasta (inuence) to secure a sa sfactory placement for her. She has almost forgo en what she had studied once. Her self-esteem has plummeted to an all- me low. For educated Indian women in Kuwait, the experiences are challenging. For starters, it is not a carefree and open environment that is laden with opportuni es for advancing ones career. Secondly, it is not even the end of their career paths or a s ing atmosphere that oers no hope that they must embrace. It is somewhere in between these two extremes that they need to inhabit and nd a way forward. Some are fresh graduates or post-graduates with no experience whatsoever. Marriage has brought them here as trailing spouses, but they have their share of hopes lurking somewhere that they too shall manage to nd something that matches their interests, skills and qualica ons.Some decide to join their husbands, midway in their lives, and they do so, in their endeavour to make ends meet more comfortably. A vast majority among them are those who have had a career, and they bring their dreams along with them. They yearn for posi ons they had enjoyed back home. They search for that sense of achievement and importance that they had enjoyed once. Some do manage to get a placement of their choice, while a substan al percentage nds no takers for their qualicaons and interests. Some manage to obtain a strong vaasta (inuence) and nd doors opening for them and dreams coming true. Then there are others who must adapt to the situaon and gracefully accept what they get. Some mes, what they do or get is completely irrelevant to their abili es, academic background, past experience and their own desires.
What can one do? In the interest of the future professional growth of the woman, if a couple decides to pack bags and go back home, they both may or may not get satisfactory placements at the same time. The financial package that one gets here is another strong reason to stay back. If the wife alone decides to pursue goals and ambitions there, the barriers of distance and time may spell havoc for the marriage. There is peace of mind here. There are lesser hassles in day-to-day living. Comforts are certainly more than those back home. The picture is not altogether grey all the time. There are distinct advantages.
41
SOCIETY
Indian women in Kuwait
Those who do not compromise usually nd their dreams ge ng dimmer by the day. They o en wonder whether they should remain determined and seek a placement in the area of their study and experience or simply grab what they get and bring in a few hundred dinaars home, thus paving the way for a be er future for all the members of their respec ve families. This sizeable number nds itself in a dilemma that is not at all easy to resolve. What can one do? In the interest of the future professional growth of the woman, if a couple decides to pack their bags and go back home, they both may or may not get sa sfactory placements at the same me. The nancial package that one gets here is another strong reason to stay back. If the wife alone decides to pursue goals and ambi ons back home, the barriers of distance and me may spell havoc for the marriage. There is peace of mind here. There are lesser hassles in day-to-day living. Comforts are certainly more than those back home. The picture is not altogether grey all the me. There are dis nct advantages. However, there are several moments when clouds hover over ones state of mind; when the world looks grey and life empty. It is not just about making use of ones degree or having ones independent bank balance. These things ma er too, but what is more crucial is the feeling of emp ness that gradually takes control. There are par es, dinners, coee mornings, and open houses; and then there are malls and movies and barbecues. However, life swi ly rushes past. Children grow up. That is when one realises that the endless dining and partying could not ins l that condence and sense of worth in ones self which purposeful ac vity could have. Vinita has had a MBA Degree for about a decade now. The only ac vity for which she steps out twice a week on her own is when she goes to
invigilate (supervise) for some weekly exams held by an ins tute. Carolyn was teaching senior college students in a pres gious college in Mumbai and was halfway through her Ph.D. when she came to Kuwait. Five years later, she has not only given up her research, but has completely immersed herself in shopping whimsically and socialising crazily. Those who did not abandon their dreams and came here fully condent that their sparkling personali es shall hold them in good stead have their own private moments of despair. When they judge themselves vis-a-vis their batchmates and friends who seem to be making big forays, it hurts. A er all, not everyone can feel equally fullled by taking tui ons or supplying n or doing some clerical work, despite being technically and professionally qualied. Of course, not everybody is dependent on their spouses. Not all seek to do construc ve work, but there are others who do. Not everyone wants to read, visit libraries, or even to independently pursue hobbies, but some do. While all expatriate wives do not have to lament about everything, there is s ll cause to pause and think. It is important to understand how women feel here about being unable to do and accomplish what they would have wanted to as they had once dreamt of. Equally important is to keep trying to nd a way out. The emp ness cannot be kept under wraps for a long me. How many dinners and get-togethers can sustain us, and for how long? Maybe we must keep trying incessantly... Annie, a Ph.D. in Social Sciences, tried very hard to get a job in a University here. She did not succeed therein, but is today quite se led and contented in her role of an Asst. HR Manager in a leading company of Kuwait. Pree , a er reless eorts for two years, has
nally managed to get the job she wanted. Today she works in a bank. Each one must search for her own solu ons; think of the best amongst the alterna ve courses of ac on. We do enjoy a rela ve sense of freedom here. Maybe searching real hard for what one wants to do and then se ling for the op on that is the closest to the best may work. Or maybe acceptance is the key. Maybe searching for online assignments in ones eld or learning a new skill or adap ng to the op ons available here may help us unravel a new iden ty for ourselves. As they say, where there is a will, there is a way.
Sejal had done her LL.B. in New Delhi. Excited and exuberant about what lay ahead in life, she came to Kuwait two years ago after her marriage. Today, she is sitting at home, idle. Nirmala is a Ph.D in National Security. Unable to secure a job as a Lecturer or Professor in Kuwait, she remains at home. Its been four years. Sakina is a post-graduate in Commerce. She was not comfortable working in just about any office environment. Her husband did not muster the right vaasta (influence) to secure a satisfactory placement for her. She has almost forgotten what she had studied once. Her self-esteem has plummeted to an all-time low.
INDIA REPORT R
Deepak N. Lalwani OBE, FCSI, FCCA: Director- India E: dl@lalcap.com
22000 18000 14000 10000 6000
Jun J 08 Jun 07
Source: chart & following table: Bloomberg
LALCAP
8 June 2012
ALL TIME HI : 21,005 (5/11/2010) 2012 Hi 18,428 (21/2) i: 4 2012 Lo: 15,517 (2/1)
BOMBAY
INR INR INR /US$ /GB /EUR Rs 5 55.40 Rs8 85.66 Rs6 69.33
BOMBAY SENSEX 30 - 5 YEAR CHART

Jun 09 Jun J 10 Jun 11 Jun J 12
The SENSEX rose 0.4% to keep the SENSEX well above the 16,000 level. Indian markets, despite recent negative comments are the best performing among BRIC economies. Interest rate cut hopes lift sentiment.
Pts Chg CLOSE: 8 June 2012 Index Day
% Chg YTD
201 12/13 PER
5 Yr PER Hi
5 Yr PER Lo
5 Yr Avg
LONDON / NEW YORK Y

More GDRs/ADRs in our table show gains rather than losses. L&T has surged in the last few days on hopes of e increased infrastruct re spending. tu
SENSEX 30 NIFTY 50
16, 1 718 5,068
+70 + 19
+ 7.7% + 9.2%
13 3.6x 13 3.1x
25.0x N/A
8.1x N/A
18.4x 17.0x
ECONOMIC NEWS
Following new s las week that India 's eco omic st on grow th had slowed to a nine -year low of 6.5%, hopes have soared that the RBI will be forced to cut interest rates further on June 18. It last cut interest rat by a tes greater-than-expecte 0.50% to 8% in April. How er a ed wev lot depends on the inflation figure for May, due next week. x In an effort to revive economic grow th the Indian Government w ants to push ahead w ith m r majo transport and pow er projects in this fiscal year to r r March 2013. Prime Minister Dr Singh said India aims to award 9,500 kms of road projects and commissio three on new airports. W hile these announcements helped lift infrastructure and oth r shares on the stock marke some he et key points remain u unanswered. Because the d vil, in de India, lies in the d il. In execution. Many ground deta realities, which have stalled existing projects, have not been resolved. Local media estimates that about $ 27 bn l of projects have st led because of bottlenecks and tal c hurdles that inclu ude slow land acquisitio on and environmental clearances. Decision making in Government has be een paralysed because officials are afraid to clear decisio s after a raft of corruption scandals on have been exposed. Policy paralysis has contrib d to bute the decelerating eco onomic growth and holds back India c from becoming an ind trialised nation. dus The tw in hopes of Government announcements to spur infr astructure projects and a possible cut in interest rates to reviv economic grow th has chee d ve ere stock markets . This week recorded the largest weekly gain this year and the longest winning streak since January. Technically, some domestic technical indicators are turning more po itive, with the NSE index b os breaking above the 200-day moving average. Despite recent y negative news on In a what is impressive is t ndi that the SENSEX has held ab e the 16,000 level. And not fallen bov to test the year's low of 15,517 seen on January 2. In the .
LALCAP LTD, Level 7, Tow r 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London EC 2N 1HN, UK we
last few days investors have turned from bein sellers on rallies ng to become buyers on every bout of profit taking ng.
2012 YTD PERFO M ANCE OF ASIAN/WESTERN MARKETS: OR
Overall a tough Q2 as most equity markets surrender gains seen earlier in the year. The deepening Greek crisis , and fears of contagion spreading to weaker European economies, have soured sentiment. Many Asian markets just about remain in the black. Top 3 gainers in Asia are : Pakistan +21%, Philippines +15% and h Thailand +9%. India is best performing BRIC market. In Western C markets USA remains in the black, with NASDAQ up 9%. A
INDEX PERFO M ANCE OR (source: Thomson Reuters ) m ASI A PACIFIC:

AUSTRALIA 200 INDEX CHINA SHANGHAI COMP H CHINA SHENZEN COMP HONG KONG HANG SENG INDIA NIFTY 50 INDIA SENSEX 30 INDONESIA JAKARTA COMP JAPAN NIKKEI 225
Index at 8.6.12 4,063 2,281 929 18,502 5,068 16,718 3,825 8,459 1,570 13,558 4,994 2,737 4,799 1,835 7,000 1,127 433 5,435 12,554 2,858 54,430 3,121
2012 %Chg +1 +4 -1 +1 +7 +9 n/c +2 +3 +21 +15 +4 -22 +1 n/c +9 n/c -2 +2 +9 -5 -2
2011 %Chg -14 -23 -34 -20 -25 -25 +3 -18 n/c -5 +4 -16 -8 -11 -21 -1 n/c -6 +6 -2 -18 -19
MALAYSIA K.L. COMP. PAKISTAN KSE 100 PHILIPPINES PSEi
SINGAPORE STI SRI LANKA ALL SHARE STH. KOREA KO PI OS TAIWAN TAIEX
THAILAND SET IN EX ND VIETNAM STO CK INDEX
WESTERN:
UK FTSE 100 US D.J. IND USA NASDAQ BR AZIL BOVESPA RUSSIA MICEX 10
E: info@lalcap.com
Tel: + 44 (0)20 3519 0909 Fax: +44 (0)20 3519 0910
BUSINESS
44
WELCOME TO KARNATAKA
Karnataka proved to be an investor s paradise at the Global Investors Meet, 2012 (GIM, 2012) held in Bengaluru. An NGI report
It was an event that gave a clear indication of the signs of things of come. Karnataka proved to be a tempting investment destination at the second edition of its Global Investors Meet, 2012 (GIM,2012) held in Bengaluru in the first week of June. In fact, the second edition of the event is set to exceed the target of attracting Rs six lakh crore worth of investment proposals. Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that the Government had been in preparatory mode for the current GIM for the last 20 months. He added that sector-specific policies for aerospace, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, housing and solar power were on the anvil. MAMMOTH PROPOSALS Karnataka has gone through political upheaval since the beginning of the GIM in 2010. Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa quit following the illegal mining scam. So the question was, are investors wary? The meet put an end to this question. As Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal University said, "There is focus on industry. The political challenges that Karnataka has faced have been kept aside for a single day, and everybody has been called here. There are some big shots for momentum, and hopefully, we are going to see some improvement." That many major players were keen to invest in the State was amply obvious. Among the big-ticket proposals were those by the GVK Group for a total investment of Rs. 29,000 crore in power projects. The Tata Group announced investments amounting to Rs. 26,000 crore across nine sectors. Some of the key MoUs that were signed include Suzlon's proposed investment of Rs 20,000 crore for a 3000 MW wind and solar project in the state, JSW Group's investment of Rs 8090 crore for steel and cement plants. Along with these, Aditya Birla group's investment of Rs 6150 crore for a cement plant, Rs 395 crore for Grasim Industry's expansion and the planned expansion of MRPL's facility in Mangalore, entailing an investment of Rs. 8,500 crore, were also included in the list of Expression of Interests (EoIs) announced. Among large real estate projects were those by the Embassy Group (Rs. 14,370 crore); Ascendas' (Singapore) investment of Rs. 10,400 crore in an integrated IT park adjacent to the ITPL in Bangalore; Rajesh Exports' investment of Rs. 11,986 crore in an inteNGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE | JUNE 2012
D V Sadananda Gowda, Chief Minister of Karnataka, inaugurated GIM 2012 with other dignitaries
SOME PROMINENT INVESTMENT PROPOSALS

- Aditya Birla group will invest Rs 6,100 crore in cement and caustic soda sectors - Sun Forest City Ventures to invest Rs9,340 crore to establish an aerospace city in Bengaluru under the name Project Vayu - The Embassy group will invest Rs14,370 crore to develop an IT park and IT infrastructure in the city - The Singapore-based Ascendas group will invest Rs10,400 crore todevelop IT infrastructure and an electronics park at Bagalur and also for the construction of a new building at ITPL, Bengaluru - Welspun group to invest Rs9,900 crore to set up a wind and power project - Toyota Kirloskar to invest Rs500 crore to establish an auto components manufacturing unit
45
grated township; and the Tata Group's investment of Rs. 4,326 crore in an IT SEZ. An EoI with JSW Steel, for investments of Rs. 8,500 crore in its steel manufacturing facility, was also announced. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) also submitted a proposal for investment of Rs. 600 crore at a facility near the HAL airport. The Karnataka government expects investment of over Rs 35,000 crore in the tourism sector through the Global Investors' Meet 2012. Addressing a session on tourism, Latha Krishna Rao, Principal Secretary - Tourism, said that there was a lot of investor interest in destinations such as Hampi and Pattadakkal, which are World Heritage Centres. "We have received investment proposals worth a whopping Rs.7.6 trillion (Rs.7.6-lakh crore) from 730 global and Indian firms, exceeding the modest target of Rs.6 trillion (Rs.6 lakh crore) set for the second edition of GIM," State Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath announced at the valedictory function of the two-day mega event. In addition to that, the State Government has signed registration of interest for basic infrastructure projects to the tune of Rs.1.68 lakh crore. The proposed investments and projects in 20 diverse sectors are projected tocreate about 1.5 million direct jobs to the people, including youth and women. "A dozen state-run, private and foreign banks have also signed an agreement with the state government to provide Rs.3 lakh crore as term loans and working capital to the firms investing across the state in the diverse sectors," an elated Ranganath told about 1,000 delegates present on the occasion. Of the 20 sectors, about 40 percent of the total investment will be in energy for setting up power projects, followed by iron and steel (15.3 percent), cement (6.3 percent), IT & electronics (6.3 percent), industrial infrastructure (6.2 percent), chemical and petrochemicals (5.5 percent) and housing & urban development (4.4 percent). Talking about their investments, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group informed that the company has already invested Rs 6,000 crore in its Karnataka operations. He said, Until now, we have invested Rs 6000 crore in our operations in Karnataka, and going forward, we have earmarked an investment in excess of Rs 7000 crore. Some of our forthcoming investments include the setting up of a four million tonne capacity cement plant at Malke with an investment of Rs 2750 crore." NEED FOR QUALITY EMPLOYMENT Addressing the event attended by delegates from across the world, N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus, Infosys Ltd., urged the industry and governments to create quality
BUSINESS
Government of Karnataka had organised Curtain Raiser Programme for Global Investors Meet 2012 in July 2011
employment. We need to create sustainable jobs for the 40 million unemployed youth in the country, he said. There is a need to diversify beyond Information Technology, he said. He added, "At this point of time, building investor confidence should be the key priority. The government plays a major role in building the same. It should focus on creating the basic infrastructure and incentivize investments by accelerating public-private partnership and promoting tier 2 cities." HUBLI, THE NEXT IT DESTINATION Hubli seems poised to become the next favourite IT destination after Bengaluru in the state as a number of investors came out with proposalsto build tech parks and IT infrastructure in the town at GIM-2012. A start-up company, Orange Business Solution, which signed an MoU of Rs 120 crore, was impressed by the fact that the Union government had sanctioned 5,000 acres in Hubli for an industrial hub. SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENTS The Union Government is trying to persuade the USA and UK to sign bilateral social security agreements to help Indians who have worked in these countries get their social security savings, director of the Diaspora Services of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Afairs, Yogeshwar Sangwan said . Speaking at the Overseas Indian Diaspora session at the GIM2012, Sangwan said that bilateral social security agreements had been already drawn up with many countries.
Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that the Government had been in preparatory mode for the current GIM for the last 20 months. He added that sector-specific policies for aerospace, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, housing and solar power were on the anvil.
N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus, Infosys Ltd. urged, We need to create sustainable jobs for the 40 million unemployed youth in the country. There is a need to diversify beyond Information Technology.
EVENT
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MUMBAI: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Mumbai s history is one of spectacular diversity and growth. Yet, the city seems to have lost its magical feel in recent times. A roundtable conference organized by the Observer Research Foundation Mumbai (ORF Mumbai) addressed the concerns and came up with some solutions as well. NGI reports
umbai is a city every Indian looks up to. It has emerged as the financial capital of the country and is regarded as an important node in the global economy. However, parallel to this runs an alternate reality. Over the last couple of decades, Mumbai has in many ways become more inward-looking and insular to the global ideas and events. This withdrawal is a significant departure, given the citys dynamic international past. Mumbais voice is rarely heard when international events and happenings are discussed. It is not able to attract foreign tourists, students or expats. What has made a considerable impact is Mumbais inability to hold on to its multi-dimensional cultural identity, having fallen prey to parochialism and regional rhetoric. This development has given rise to serious worries and apprehensions. The roundtable conference organised by the Observer Research Foundation Mumbai (ORF Mumbai) had the express purpose of hearing the concerns of the citys stakeholders and their alternate visions for a Mumbai that is more open, accepting and active on the global platform. The conference moderated by Maneck Davar (Chairman, Spenta Multimedia) had 24 participants discussing the six predominant subjects that are important for the citys growth: Higher Education, Business & Finance, Tourism & Hospitality, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Entertainment and Political & Governance Support.
Presenting, the highlights HIGHER EDUCATION Pushing for infrastructural and curriculum boost Dr. Sunil Kumar from London School of Economics opened the discussion on his vertical by calling for infrastructure and curriculumdriven higher education. He accorded importance to the need for universities and educational institutes to develop curricula that promotes free thinking. Kumar urged the necessity to market Mumbai to foreign students, not as what the media presently depicts it as, but as what its true potential is, which is the ability to offer a microcosm of the world in itself. Good libraries, Kumar felt, were an important and urgent need. Ambarish Datta who heads the BSEs education wing spoke about the role of the knowledge industry in determining the global character of a city. He pointed out that global city indices take into consideration parameters like economic activity, political engagement, quality of life and also knowledge and influence. He pointed out that with respect to knowledge, India does not feature in the top 10 countries of the world, and surprisingly, is not even among the top five Asian countries. This is an alarming statistic, given the fact that India is set to be the youngest nation by 2020. Datta emphasised on the lack of infrastructure to host visiting students. He highlighted the need for the citys industries and corporates to plug into the curricula and provide fruitful internship opportunities. He re-
ferred to the Frankfurt School of Businesss module on Microfinance. When I asked the school administration where the students did their internship for the microfinance module, they informed me that almost all students went to Africa. This, he stated, was shocking, given the number of microfinance companies that Mumbai and, in fact, India has. Datta also emphasised on the need for imparting cultural training and skill development as a formal part of higher education curricula, so as to make students more culturally aware, sensitive and accepting. BUSINESS AND FINANCE Working towards doable goals Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group opened the discussion on the vertical by defining the goal of internationalisation as the promotion of the free movement of goods, services, people, ideas and cuisines. He said that just the previous week, the board of Goldman Sachs met in Mumbai. The boards of half of Fortune 500 companies have met in India, and most of them have chosen Mumbai as the venue. For them, its global enough. However, there was need for more. The Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh came to Mumbai in 2006, and made an announcement that he would like to see Mumbai as an international finance centre. He set up a committee, and the committee submitted a report in one year. But that report seems to be eating dust somewhere on a shelf. I think it was too bold for its own good
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EVENT
Ranade stated. He stressed on the need for realistic goals, providing the example of the Global Cities Index in which New York comes first, followed by London, Tokyo and Honk Kong. Singapore, he said, comes in at 11. In terms of aspiration, Singapore and Dubai are the two examples to look at. Singapore has specialised in attracting only high net-worth, high value-added people, and mostly foreigners. Most of Dubais economy is also because of foreigners, but here its low-wage, blue collar workers who are hidden. They are two different models, and we could be a hybrid in between, he concluded. Pankaj Baliga of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) stressed on the need for working across sectors, and elaborated on the work that TCS has done jointly with engineering colleges on curriculum and faculty development. He also provided some examples of work that big business houses can do in promoting the citys heritage and history, highlighting projects like the restoration of the Rajabai Tower and initiatives of archiving the Universitys library, both funded by the Tatas. TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY Marketing the citys distinctiveness Ms. Gita Ramanan of Thomas Cook opened the discussion on this vertical. Tourism industry needs to provide a gamut of services to be able to create a whole experience for the visitor, she noted. Travel, accommodation, food, sightseeing, ambience all add up to the complete experience as rated by the tourist. It is important for everyone including
the porters, taxi drivers, hotel managements, tour providers etc. to be incorporated in the creation of an entire experience-based package, she said. Praveen Chander of the Taj Mahal Hotels Group identified the reasons behind Mumbais falling tourist statistic as stemming from concerns of hygiene and sanitation, friendliness to tourists and safety. Chander stated that, while in 2000, tourists coming to Mumbai contributed 33% to the number of total tourists coming to India, the statistic has dropped to 20% of that ratio in 2010. He spoke about the need to make travelling within the city easier for visitors and tourists. The 26/11 terror attacks have created another major dent in the citys reputation as a tourist destination, he said. Chander, however, believed that the city had a lot of potential, considering its history, local vibrancy, seascape and even its Bollywood appeal. Anupam Sah, the chief conservator at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghralaya stated that the USP of any space is built through the exploration of its local character and imagery. Sah emphasized, The first thing that hits any person coming to a new city is its local visual impact, and in that sense it will be a pity if Mumbai becomes like Shanghai. He also stressed on the need to visualise a unique face of the city. Dr. Ratoola Kundu, Associate Professor at the Tata Ins tute of Social Sciences, warned that a discussion on making global must not be restricted to ideas of infrastructure and built environment. The focus needs to turn to the quality
of life. More importantly, we as ci zens need to cri cally engage with our local iden ty. Urban Planner Harshad Bha a said that whether Mumbai is truly global is a rhetorical ques on. Bombay was a global city. The moment it was made Mumbai, it became a local place, he said. He too felt that Mumbai must emphasise on its local energy and dynamics. He urged people not to see Mumbai as maximum city, as maximum implies the highest level and, thus, has no poten al for further growth. Instead, he stated that the city be viewed as the ulmate se lement. And to know what this ul mate se lement means to the world, it is important for us to convey it to them, rather than looking overseas and trying to make ourselves look like them, he surmised. ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE Incorpora ng history in the present The ver cal was opened by Ms. Aar Mehta, Chairperson of the Museum Society of Bombay, aliated to the Chhatrapa Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghralaya. Her experience with the Society in the last 25 years, she said, showed that people are becoming more aware of their culture and heritage. Although tourists have been coming in large numbers, she expressed concern regarding how much of what is showcased in the galleries is really absorbed by the average visitor. She also regre ed the fact that the citys elite crowd barely takes any interest in the citys museums. When I ask these people when they had last visited a museum, they answer, when they were in London they went to the V&A, or the MET in New York. What about the museums in Mumbai then? Ms Mehta questioned.
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Ms. Sanghamitra Sen-Chatterjee from the Godrej Archives spoke about the role that the industry has played in the citys history. She saw a lot of potential in the mill lands, which may be remodeled into cultural arenas. Equally, she felt that the industrial housing chawls within defunct factories can be refurbished for use as service apartments or youth hostels. This, she pointed out, would not only preserve their historical significance, but also make them useful for practical use. A similar sentiment was expressed by Amrit Gangar, noted film historian. He stated that the city itself was like a museum, constantly showcasing its international past. Dr. Manjiri Kamat, Professor of History from the University of Mumbai , highlighted the role that philanthropy has played in the history of the city, especially the public-private partnerships that gave the city its many hospitals. Equally, she called for greater coordination between the tourism and heritage departments of the government. Dr. Kamat suggested that the citys past can be celebrated by establishing museums related specifically to Mumbais past achievements in the textile industry, in the entertainment industry, and in cricket, among others. Naresh Fernandes, Consulting Editor Time Out and author, summed it up effectively: As a port city, internationalism is built into our DNA. Over the last 150 years, we have been living internationalism in a truly fundamental way. The citys past itself can perhaps tell us how to go about the future. ENTERTAINMENT Looking beyond Bollywood The discussion was opened by Pradhuman Singh, noted theatre and film actor. He remarked that the Hindi film industry and cricket dominated the entertainment industry. However, it was important to focus on other modes of entertainment, and also provide infrastructure and funding facilities to other sports, especially hockey since it is the countrys national sport. Rashmi Dhanwani, the Public Relations Manager of the National Centre of Performing Arts, highlighted the need for the state to have a culture policy, to enhance its tangible and building heritage, but also to develop the city as a hub for intangible heritage. She asserted the need for providing spaces and venues for showcasing performance-based intangible heritage. She said there was a need to dra a white paper for Maharashtras culture policy, and the need for ins tu ons to focus on educa on, exposure, funding, venue crea on and foresight. In a similar vein, Avryl La n from the Australian Consulate in Mumbai said that Mumbai must aim at invi ng interna onal exhibi ons and events. POLITICAL AND GOVERNANCE SUPPORT Emergence of a shared onus The discussion under this ver cal was opened by Bharat Kumar Raut, Rajya Sabha Member from Maharashtra. Raut pointed out that the issue was not restricted to ins tu onal faults or lack of poli cal will. Do we have a global mindset? he asked. He went on to answer, From poli cians to corporate to the aam aadmi on the street? My observa on as a journalist is that we dont have a global mindset at ANY level. We have to create that mindset if at all we want to make Mumbai global. Bhai Jagtap, Congress Member of Parliament, added that Mumbai is no longer conned to the city limits, and needs to be viewed in the context of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
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Madhav Bhandari, spokesperson for the Bharya Janata Party, emphasised on the role of infrastructure. He admi ed that the city lacked leadership at every level, in every eld, and that for the requisite infrastructure to be built, political will was needed. Shirish Parker, Spokesperson for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, accepted that there are several lacunae in the citys administra on setup, but was quick to cri cise the trend of direc ng all hate and anger towards poli cians.To a poli cian, he said, elite conferences such as the present one represent nothing but cynicism coming from a people disconnected from ground reali es. He felt it was everyones responsibility to make a coherent, concentrated eort towards developing the city and stressed on the need to explore and cherish the citys strengths and USPs.
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Ayaz Memon, journalist, spoke about the importance of a city centre as the convergence point. He added, Mumbai lost its opportunity to build a city centre when the mills in Parel were being reclaimed. It was a good opportunity for a single city focus to emerge. Urging the citizens not to miss out on any other such opportunities, he stated that the issue is not that the city lacks ambition. It lacks direction and individual ini a ve, he said. What is required thus is to get rid of the iner a and apathy of Mumbaikars and to relook what we have done for our city, he added. Bunty Chand from the Asia Society also believed that public educa on is required at all levels to ensure that ini a ves are accelerated. Prof. Anita Rane-Kothare of St. Xaviers College pointed out that the spirit of globalisa on can only be brought out by self-realisa on. She elaborated on her personal ini a ves for the protec on and development of the citys cave heritage as an example of individual eorts. CONCLUSION For a locally rooted living experience An important point of consensus was that the endeavour of enhancing the interna onalisaon of the city must be seen as a cross-sectoral holis c eort. Maneck Davar elaborated that the focus of Mumbai must be the crea on of a comfortable living experience. The crea on of this living experience would automa cally include the ease of doing business, ease of moving from one place to another, facility for the cultural and entertainment industry amongst other things. This would in turn a ract foreign a en on, both in terms of investment and people. Unless and un l the city
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develops that ease of living, none of this will be possible. The aim, thus, must not be to develop exclusive enclaves for tourists, but work towards a healthy way of life for all residing in Mumbai. The ORF Mumbai roundtable conference was, in many ways, an eye-opener for Mumbaikars. While policy ini a ves are required, the discussion highlighted the need for public educa on in equal measure. Mumbai has been a dynamic force and impacts its inhabitants on a daily basis, but its energies need to nd a central focus. The search for the focus may not be an easy task, considering its unique fabric of diverse popula ons and ideologies. However, a roundtable like the present one has made a start by highligh ng the problem with clarity and depth, and providing some ini al ideas towards its resolu on.
EXPERTS SPEAK
Kumar urged the necessity to market Mumbai to foreign students, not as what the media presently depicts it as, but as what its true potential is, which is the ability to offer a microcosm of the world in itself. Citing the example of London, he emphasised the provision of an entire hub of activities for the furtherance of an atmosphere of critical engagement for students. Good libraries were an important and urgent need in the city. - Dr Sunil Kumar, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics & Political Science
Tourism, like any other industry today, is a service industry. The industry needs to provide a gamut of services to be able to create a whole experience for the visitor. The travel, accommodation, food, sight seeing, ambience all add up to how the complete experience of a city is rated by the tourist. An important component of this is the need to train service professionals in the tourism industry. Mumbai as a tourist destination is very attractive, a strong point being its 24-hour working life. This must be harnessed and projected to potential visitors. -Gita Ramanan, General Manager, Thomas Cook
The issue was not restricted to institutional faults or lack of political will. Do we have a global mindset?. From politicians to corporate to the aam aadmi on the street? No, we dont have a global mindset at ANY level. We have to create that mindset if at all we want to make Mumbai global. -Bharat Kumar Raut, Rajya Sabha Member,Maharashtra
Largest Contingent of Indian developers to converge in Dubai at Indian Property Show from 21st-23rd June
Sumansa Exhibi ons, organisers of Indian Property Show- one of the largest and the most diversied exhibi ons of Indian Proper es have announced the dates of the June edi on scheduled from 21st-23rd June 2012 at Dubai World Trade Centre. This property extravaganza con nues to a ract more and more developers and visitors alike who wish to fulll their dreams of owning own property back home in India. The exhibi on will witness convergence of more than 70 exhibitors from across India displaying proper es from aordable to luxury and from investment to commercial spaces. An ideal pla orm to meet developers, estate agents, nancers, legal experts and vaastu consultants all under one roof that will help you to make the most important decision of your life- Property Investment! The show is expected to be visited by 10000 visitors. Some of the leading developers par cipa ng in the exhibi on are Unitech Ltd,Va ka Group, Nirmal Lifestyle, Hiranandani, Ansal API, India Bulls, Ireo Pvt ltd., Investors Clinic-Indias leading real estate consultancy, Assetz Homes, Sobha Developers Ltd. and Leading Banks..etc Mr. Sunil Jaiswal, CEO, Sumansa Exhibi ons said, The magnitude of this exhibi on has grown immensely and we are grateful to all our exhibitors, partners and visitors who have trusted this pla orm to be the best way of nding & selling proper es. This year the focus has shi ed on aordable proper es as Union Budget has allowed external commercial borrowings which will allow liquidity to the builder. The homes are expected to be aordable on the outskirts of the er 1 ci es. At the same me property prices in metros and er 1 ci es are expected to go up due to addi onal burden of service tax and excise duty. The good news is that with recent reduc on in interest rates home loans will be cheaper and depreciated rupee will lt the balance in favour of NRIs. The momentum of Indian property will be kept going on by NRIs for whom the current scenario is conducive as long as investment in Tier 2 & 3 ci es are concerned. The exhibi on also features not-to-be missed property and investment seminars by some of the most inuen al property industry gurus, internaonal fund managers, and legal advisers. This year the seminars aim to guide the buyers on the booming real estate markets within India along with the benets of inves ng now. The seminar will further talk about the upcoming projects, infrastructural development that these ci es will witness making them a lucra ve op on to invest. Some of the ci es in focus are Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurgaon, Noida, Kochi etc. Pt Gopal Sharma will impart knowledge on role of vaastu in choosing proper es, its implica ons etc as part of the famous vaastu seminars. Apart from the informa ve seminars the show has added new featureProperty Spotlight which has been taken by Ireo Pvt Ltd. wherein they will display a model of the exclusive project at the entrance of the exhibi on hall so that visitors can get a chance to view the actual property in a miniature size. Delhi & NCR, Pune and Chennai are the other 3 ci es in the top 5 favorite ci es for investment in India, reveals Sumansa Exhibi ons survey. Mumbai-the city of dreams catches fancy of NRIs in UAE, as the city tops the chart for property investments in India. 27.03% Non Resident Indians chose to invest in Mumbai according to a survey conducted by Sumansa Exhibi ons, the organisers of Indian Property Show. Inching closer and grabbing 2nd spot is Bangalore with 17.10% preferring to invest in coming 3-6months. Delhi & NCR, Pune and Chennai are the other 3 ci es featured in the top 5. Around 14000 NRIs across UAE par cipated in the survey which was conducted to understand the reason of buying property in India, type of property, me frame to buy, budget and nances planned etc. Media Enquiries Anuroopa Mukherjee / Swapnali Chitre Mobile: +97150 6787335/+97150 8235461, Tel : +9714 2327789 Email: anuroopa@pulse360me.com/ swapnali@pulse360me.com
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ART
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EXPLORATIONS OF THE MIND

For art lover Sudeep Ghosh, the passion for discovering the essence of art leads to innumerable queries
As a curious art enthusiast, I try to comprehend the truth about art o en. I hear the volley of ques ons posed by the Devil in Rudyard Kiplings The Conundrum of the Workshops: "It's pre y, but is it Art?"; "It's striking, but is it Art?"; "It's human, but is it Art?"; "You did it, but was it Art?"; It's clever, but is it Art?"; "It's pre y, but is it Art? The mind spins countless ques ons. What is bad art? Are the works in the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) so bad that one would feel like throwing up in disgust? Should art be censored? Does nudity in Michelangelos David degrade art to pornography? How valid is Graham Ovendens claim that indecent images of children found on his computer are works in progress and not child pornography? The list of ques ons con nues. Should art impose interminable restraint on the ar st? Isnt art synonymous with freedom? The counter logic is that, being rooted in me and place, the ar st hardly ceases to be free. But when an ar st gets the burden of aesthe c feeling o his chest by crea ng it, does he not become free and experience the joy or bliss of freedom? Art is like poetry that widens the world of freedom. Here, I mean freedom, not freedom from, as Jiddu Krishnamur would put it. What about the copycats in the world of art? Do they copy consciously or inadvertently? Are they not sucked into the vortex of todays hype-driven, moolah-spewing postmodern world? Money wields considerable inuence over ar sts. No wonder, then, that Bollywood has also joined the bandwagon. If Salman Khans pain ng fetches a whopping 2.5 crore, the gure sounds incredibly high. Ironically, Tyeb Mehtas pain ng 'Kali' was sold for one crore. Do not ask me who is be er. The role of the subconscious and digital tech is no less pronounced. Be it the psychedelic art of Remedios Varo and Andre Masson or that of the surrealists like Salvador Dali, inspired by Freud's theory of the unconscious, they do manifest truths. The virtual reality of the digital arts of Maurice Benayoun, Ebon Fisher, Lillian Schwartz, to name a few, is relentlessly synthesized to deconstruct facts about reconciling diverse cultural idioms. Is art sublime in the quest for the absolute? Tagores pantheism would nd in art a seamless union with Jibondebota(the Living God), the art which embraces omniscience; Picasso would strive to wash away from the
souls the dust of everyday life; Giacome would be obsessed with emp ness; and Tintore o would value self-asser on through class dis nc on. Aristotle or Plato would nd art mime c and Hegel would a ribute aliena on of mans consciousness to art. Monroe Beardsley would furnish three criteria unity, complexity and intensity. Henry Moore would prefer vitality to beauty while Herbert Read would look upon art as objects of contemplaon. Dierent they might be but their works provide a wider spectrum of truth about art and their breathtaking crea vity. No wonder, their works are forged by me. Art cannot be pinned down. It holds in its bosom, countless undercurrents of meaning. Listen to the Upanishads: There the eye goes not,/ Speech goes not, nor the mind,/ We know not, we understand not,/ How would one teach it? (Sudeep Ghosh teaches at the Kodaikanal Internaonal School, Tamil Nadu.)
Paintings by : Arpana Caur
WHAT IS GREAT, WHAT IS NOT: Art lovers confront this question from time to time.
ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROJECTS

The Trilegal Energy, Infrastructure and Projects Bulle n is a periodic update on recent developments in energy, infrastructure and projects law and policy in India. GUIDELINES TO MINE CLOSURE A crucial aspect of environmental management in the mining industry is a mine closure plan which is said to enable posi ve environmental and rehabilita ve outcomes. Recently, the Ministry of Coal brought out Guidelines for Prepara on of Mine Closure Plan (Guidelines). These Guidelines state that all coal mine owners have to adopt a mine closure plan (Plan) for each of their mines consis ng of both a progressive and a nal closure plan. A progressive plan includes various land use ac vi es through the life cycle of the mine, whereas a nal plan starts towards the end of the cycle and could con nue ll the mining area is restored to an environmentally acceptable level. The Ministry of Coal has formed a Standing Commi ee for approval of mining. The Plan must be approved by the Standing Commi ee within a year or two before the mine is closed and must be consented to by the Board of Directors of the mining company prior to its nal closure. The Guidelines calls for disclosure from the mine owner on the loca on, extent and type of lease area (forest/non-forest etc), land use pa ern, method of mining and coal processing opera on and reasons for closure. The Plan must also set out any legal obliga ons of the mine owners relating to mine closure. The descrip on of the mine must state the geology, indicate the type of reserves of coal or lignite available, mining methods followed and techniques applied in the use and disposal of coal. Recent amendments to the Guidelines require mine owners to describe the measures proposed for reclama on and rehabilita on of mined out land. The Plan must be implemented in a phased manner, ini a ng afforesta on and must be periodically reviewed by the Government every ve years. Other measures for protec on and control of erosion, silta on and contamina on of water must be described in the Plan to meet water quality standards. Similarly, details of air quality, top soil and waste management proposals to protect and mi gate environmental degrada on have been emphasized. Evalua on of exis ng infrastructure facili es such as roads, railways, power lines, aerial ropeways and their future use on a case to case basis is to be decided under the Guidelines in order to either retain or dispose such structures. The disposal of machinery used for mining should also be described along with safety and security measures during the closure of the mine. In addi on mine owners have to set out compensa on, retrenchment and other remedial measures to counterbalance the economic fallout of mine closure, with details of the me schedule for wrap-up of opera ons. A er the mine is closed, the land must be returned to the State Government. Amongst the more stringent measures provided under the Guidelines are the nancial assurance that mine owners have to provide. This includes the mandatory opening of an escrow account by mining companies with the Government as an exclusive beneciary and the review of this account by the Coal Controller every ve years on the amount deposited. The Coal Controller may also permit withdrawals up to 20% in the escrow account four years before the nal closure of the mine. Mine owners are responsible to ensure protec ve and rehabilita ve measures as stated in their Plan. All these measures are to be consolidated into an annual report submi ed before the 1st of July by mine owners. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS MNRE capacity addi on of renewable power The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) proposes to add specic targets for capacity addi on for renewable power i.e. wind, solar, hydro and biomass power in the 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17). MNRE plans to add 10,000 MW of grid connected solar power genera on capacity under the Jawaharlal Nehru Na onal Solar Mission, 15,000 MW of grid connected wind power, 2,700 MW of grid connected biomass power and 2,100 MW for small hydro power. The target capacity addi ons have been added as a whole by the MNRE and have not been specied state wise. India has installed 23,128 MW of clean energy power projects ll date and is expected to increase this. Solar Energy Council A Solar Energy Industry Advisory Council (SEIAC) has been cons tuted by the MNRE. The idea behind cons tu ng such a council is to have a special body to advise the MNRE on technology, research and development matters to drive down costs, a ract investments and to make the Indian solar industry compe ve. The SEIAC will be headed by a leading industrialist as Chairman and will review the status of Indian solar energy periodically and propose measures to step-up growth in manufacturing industry for between 2017 ll 2020. PMO to look into oil and gas issues The C. Rangarajan Commi ee will review the terms of the contract that oil and gas companies sign with the Government following issues between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) and a major Indian conglomerate company. According to media reports, the Commi ee seeks to rewrite some of the important terms in the produc on sharing contracts (PSCs). The Prime Ministers Oce has ini ated this review through the Commi ee on account of pu ng together robust contracts to mi gate disputes and a ract foreign investment in the oil and gas sector. Thermal power plant guidelines to be revised The Na onal Green Tribunal (Tribunal) has in a recent order demanded that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) revise its guidelines for se ng up thermal power plants. The order asks the MoEF to submit revised guidelines clearly indica ng Go as a green signal for a project and No go prohibited area for a project within 3 months. The order came as a result of the Tribunals decision that environmental clearance for a leading construc on company would be suspended ll the MoEF looks into it again. According to media reports, the Tribunal stated that the updated guidelines would mi gate disputes and provide proper selec on of environmentally compa ble sites for projects. CIL may review FSA The Ministry of Coal has recently asked state-run Coal India Limited (CIL) to look into issues including changes in the penalty clause raised as an issue by power producers in the model Fuel Supply Agreements (FSA). CIL had recently inserted a penalty clause which requires CIL to pay a penalty of 0.01 % for failure to supply the contracted amount of coal, but that such penalty would only kick in three years a er signing the FSA. Further, clauses rela ng to force majeure and compensa on for stone content in fuel have also been opposed by power producers, which CIL says it is ready to review. If you require any further informa on about the material contained in this alert, please get in touch with your Trilegal rela onship partner or send an email to alerts@trilegal.com. The contents of this alert are intended for informa onal purposes only and are not in the nature of a legal opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel prior to ac ng upon any of the informa on provided herein. The text of this alert is the copyright of Trilegal and may not be circulated, reproduced or otherwise used without the prior permission of its originator. Allen & Overy owns the copyright in the template design and typographical arrangement.
TRAVELOGUE
56
HYDERABAD REVISITED
Ruqya Khan experiences the unforgettable by visiting Hyderabad, her hometown she left long ago
Its interes ng how life gives you dierent opportuni es to see the same things in dierent ways, and how that experience changes all that you had thought and imagined about your own existence. I spent my childhood in Kuwait. I married and came to the UAE, where I have been living since then. I have been an expat all my life. I could never connect with Hyderabad, my hometown. I knew that my extended family lived somewhere close to the Falaknuma Palace. But I never ever gave a second glance to that just-about-in ruins piece of history that towered over our Hyderabad residence. To me, the city of Nizams was nothing beyond a summer break spiced with visits to rela ves. The only me I actually stayed for a reasonably long me in Hyderabad was when I was comple ng my higher educa on. During those ve years, I would take an occasional break from my academic schedule to observe the rush of everyday life. I never saw beyond crowded roads, sloppy lanes and narrow mindsets. I knew not what I had been born into. I just wanted to be back in the Middle East, my home for several years. It was while I was researching on an ar cle that I was led to a video about the Taj Falaknuma Palace Hotel. It opened my eyes to a chapter I had overlooked. The richness of history, the warmth in tradi ons, the marvels of architecture, all stood before me. Suddenly, the several years of being a confused Indian simply disappeared. I was in awe of all that I had watched but never really seen. I decided to pack my bags, and nd my roots. I made no specic plans for my three-day trip, since I wanted it to be a journey of discovery. I was only sure about two things: my visit was to be a surprise for my parents and also that part of the plan was to enjoy a stay at the Falaknuma Palace. Change of clothes, a camera, its lenses and lots of excitement: thats all that I carried with me. The three-and-ahalf-hour ight
Charminar, the monument synonymous with Hyderabad
57
TRAVELOGUE
Makkah Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in the country
seemed longer than usual. I just couldnt wait to get home and see the look on my parents faces. How would Hyderabad receive me if I came as a tourist? I was going to nd out soon. I landed early in the day. People at the Rajiv Gandhi Interna onal Airport wore red and sleepy faces. I was happy. I was excited. A er several summer visits to my city, this would be the rst me ever that I took a cab and went home on my own. The perfect way to get into the tourist mode, I thought to myself as I nally se led into the cab. As we drove past the lush green airport grounds, I took in all that the city had to oer. With childlike curiosity, I asked the old cabbie about his city. He smiled at my blotched attempt to speak Urdu in Hyderabadi lingo. He went on and on about the 400-year old city of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, its fascina ng texture of the past, the rich mix of cultural and historical tradi on, and how the city had emerged as an industrial, educa on, commercial and technology hub.
The drive took me through dierent areas, some modern, others rus c. Emerging before me was a city that had within it, glimpses of the legacy of its old history. I reached home in me for breakfast. The welcome I received was special. Once the surprise of my arrival wore out, we discussed the intent of my visit. Late a ernoon, we set out to explore what was always there. We decided to head towards purana shaher (the old city), a place that intrigued me. Its bustling bazaars (markets), beau ful chowks (boulevards), kamans (archways) and other structures of Nizam architecture s ll retain their old-world appeal. It is also home to the Charminar, a monument thats synonymous with Hyderabad. Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah built this Islamic architectural splendour in the year 1591 when he relocated his capital from the Golconda fortress. It stands tall and strong, a witness to the growth of the city. I was amused by the sight of countless pedestrians dodging in and out between bicycles, rickshaws, autos, cars and even buses. To me, it seemed no less than u er chaos. To the others, however, it was a way of life. We parked by the Unani Hospital, which is on the other side of Charminar and stopped to marvel at the beau ful Makkah Masjid (Makkah mosque). Akin to the many other ancient buildings in the city, this mosque is also built with granite. It is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, among the biggest in India. The main hall of the mosque can accommodate ten thousand worshippers at one me. Fi een graceful arches support the roof of the main hall, ve on each of the three sides. A sheer wall rises on the fourth side to provide the mehrab. It is said that the three arched facades have
been carved from a single piece of granite. More than 8,000 workers were employed to build this grand masjid. Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah himself laid the founda on stone of the masjid. A er a surreal experience at the mosque, we opted for a stopover at the adjacent Laad Bazaar. Laad is a word that literally means indulgence. Indeed, there is no be er place in the city for a lady to indulge herself. A riot of gli ering colours greets you as step into this busy market lane. It allures people in droves with its dazzling range of glass and lacquer bangles, pure pearls, gunmetal showpieces, exo c hand-woven carpets, and bou ques stocking some of the most inspired crea ons in silk. The place is also famous for its exclusive collec on of dress materials, gold-coated ar cles and crockery. A shoppers paradise oering an amazing mix of ancient and modern buys, Laad Bazaar for Hyderabadis is not just a bazaar, but a tradi on that has been preserved really well. Another thing that I observed about this area is that you should brush up on your Urdu - especially the Hyderabadi style of haou and nakko when you are here. Telugu may work as well. Shopkeepers and vendors can easily assess if you are from the city or an out -of towner. Prices vary accordingly. Having my mum with me was a blessing. She bargained on my purchases, and before I knew it, I got what I wanted for almost half the quoted price. Day two began at leisure. We le for the Taj Falaknuma Palace in the a ernoon. We arrived in papas humble Maru , the sta at the gates were courteous and prompt. Soon, a horse-driven carriage pulled up by the main entrance arch and we were escorted inside like royalty with a shower of rose petals and customary Nizami grandeur. Standing two thousand feet above the city, the Taj Falaknuma Palace is not just a palace in the sky; it is a standing tes mony to the famed life and mes of the Nizams of Hyderabad. If you listen carefully, you will get to know the tales of world famous diamonds like the Jacob
While the tradition of Aftaaba has faded, the glitter of lacquer bangles will last forever
TRAVELOGUE
58
The royal courtyard
and the Kohinoor, of the lifestyles of monarchs and the heads of state and of the legendary passion of the genera ons that had been. Whether you marvel at its incredible architecture or luxuriate in its ornate treasures within, the palace that dates back to 1884 is truly a dream. A ne blend of Italian and Tudor architecture, it stretches across a total area of 939,712 square metres. For many years,the palace was the residence of the Sixth Nizam a er he purchased it from Sir Vikar-ul-Umra, the Prime Minister of the Nizam who built it. Since the death of the Nizam VI in March 1911, the Palace has been mainly used as a royal guesthouse. From opulent interiors to lush landscaped lawns, the experience was truly magical. To be a part of a grand bygone era was an honour. Papa looked elegant in his Jodhpuri, and mum as graceful as ever in her delicately embroidered saree. They were excited, proud and elated that their princess was with them. The historic walk was a royal treat for the hotel guests. It began an hour or so before sunset and took us on a guided tour of the palace. We saw the glimpses of royal lifestyle. Here, there was no room for the ordinary. Vene an chandeliers, imposing marble staircases, fountains and striking statues made for an unforge able sight. There was so much to see and marvel at - the beauty of stained-glass windows, ornately framed portraits and murals and a world class collec on of crystals and jade. The parquet ooring, intricate wood work it was mesmerising to read this page from Hyderabads history. Having marvelled at the grandeur of the Jade room, the Rajasthani Garden, the Shikaar Khaana, the Durbar Hall and one of the longest dining tables in the world (capable of sea ng 101 guests), we concluded the journey at the beau ful Gol Bungalow. A tradi onal Su Qawwali and Shahi Dastarkhan dinner awaited us. That evening, we were royal guests. We roamed the royal courtyards, read at the royal library and basked in content as the stars twinkled over the Nizams gardens. Si ng in the palace suites balcony, I could see the city below us. The lights ickered a dim yellow. At a distance, a passenger train stood silent on the
tracks. This night and the next day was all that we had at the palace. We made the most of it, spending hours reec ng on many things forgo en. Nothing could have been more special than these three days that I stole from my life. They completed my journey and gave me a fresh look at who I was and what Hyderabad really says if you let it speak.
Next day, I was to take the a ernoon ight back home. Once again the city dri ed past me but, this me, I wasnt looking. I was lost in the mosaic of memories. As I hugged my parents goodbye, a ques on kept knocking in my mind - where is home? The one that I had come to or the one that I am going back to?
The front elevation of the Falaknuma Palace is laid out in the shape of a scorpion
The Nizams legendary dining table seats 101 guests Photos: Ruqya Khan
SPORTS
60
A KING IS A KING
Vishwanathan Anand is a thorough gentleman. He speaks so ly but ar culates his thoughts with enviable clarity, revealing the presence of a thinking mind. A humble man that he is known to be, he impresses anyone he comes across. Today, the na on needs to be proud of Anand, the re cent genius having won the World Chess Championship crown for a record h me. The duel for the tle with his Belarusian opponent Boris Gelfand was aptly thrilling, with the players ed at 6-6 a er the regular matches with one win each. Excelling during the rapid ebreak, Anand defeated Gelfand 2.5-1.5 to win the tle. It was a virtuoso performance when it really ma ered. Those who insist that Anand hasnt got his due in India are absolutely right. In a na on beso ed with cricket, he, despite being one of the greatest chess players ever, is des ned to be a minor headline. His situa on isnt unlike the players of other forms of sport, who arent comparably great though. Just spare a thought for hockey, our na onal sport. Those who play the game at the na onal level dont get naonal recogni on, one major reason being that the Indian media refuses to step outside
Chess maestro Vishwanathan Anand s world championship triumph tells us why we must value greatness in all forms of sport, observes Biswadeep Ghosh
its comfort zone and promote other forms of sport as well. Despite the remarkable achievements of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi as doubles players, the focus on tennis mul plied manifold the moment Sania Mirza arrived on the scene. As a teenager, Sania seemed capable of breaking into the top ten of womens singles rankings. But, although she has failed to deliver as a sportsperson, the media con nues to focus on her glamour, making her rst round victories in minor tournaments sound like triumphs in Grand Slam nals. Another girl responds to a similar sounding name. But she plays badminton. The name: Saina Nehwal. Unlike Sania, Saina is a committed player who delivers superb results with admirable consistency. Her performances on the court receive nothing beyond modest coverage. That this talented badminton player has been ge ng the odd adver sement isnt because those behind the campaign wish to promote badminton as a sport. Although nowhere near as glamorous as Sania, Saina is vivacious enough to be the face of certain products. Nothing else ma ers. Cricket is the only sport whose players, once they reach a certain level, becomes idols automa cally. Just how ridiculous is this situaon? Here is the answer. Today, a Rohit Sharma has more devotees than Vishwanathan Anand does. There is very li le doubt that Anands game, being innitely less popular, limits his reach among the masses. What cannot be ques oned, at the same me, is that the media could have paid a lot more a en on to his triumphs than it has chosen to do. The problem is that of misdirected focus. When the media concentrates on Sania Mirza, it is not because of tennis. Saina Nehwal has managed to rise above many others in terms of popular recogni on, but not solely because of badminton. Someone like Anand, despite his obvious greatness, loses out because he has nothing to oer beyond his skills and triumphs. He ends up being a news item for a day before cricket takes over. A king is a king no ma er where he rules. We, the Indians, forget that as we chase cricket and cricketers without giving a serious thought to other forms of sport. Will that change? It might. But, please don't expect a metamorphosis by tomorrow morning.
ETENCA (Educomp Tele-Educa on Network for CA prep) from IndiaCan Educa on is Indias largest network of technology based satellite coaching centers for Chartered Accountancy prep. ETENCA is a pioneering Tele Educa on ini a ve aimed to help CA aspirants get advanced, scien c and personalized coaching from acclaimed facul es in their home town, and at a lower cost compared to what they would have incurred if they took in-person classes from the same faculty. The Faculty lectures are beamed to all authorized ETENCA centers from the state-of-the-art central studios at Delhi and Chennai. During the sessions students and Faculty are able to see and hear each other as if they are face to face. The Faculty can look into each class and observe each student closely to monitor their body language and expressions. The en re session is aided by expert session-controllers and center coordinators. Students can use chat to answer Faculty ques ons or to pose ques ons or doubts to the Faculty at any me in the session. The student-Faculty interac on is witnessed by all centers to enable all students to collec vely benet from good queries. Within two years of its incep on ETEN CA is available at 140+ centers across North, central and East India, has bene ed 1,00,000+ student enrolments so far and has enjoyed 100% growth BoB (batchon-batch). CA Parveen Sharma, Dr. Girish Ahuja, CA Raj Kumar, Er. Dinesh Madan, CA Pankaj Garg and others are some eminent facul es with ETENCA.. ETENCA recognizes the special needs of CA aspirants of balancing their CA prep sessions with demands of frequent travel arising from
mandatory Arc cleship, and has conceived and implemented a unique Video Archive Access system wherein students have the facility to view their missed lectures on the net. They can also revise a limited number of sessions online, closer to their exams, and eecvely are able to study whenever and wherever they need to. Each ETENCA student is monitored and regular assessments are done through mock tests, sample papers and regular tests both at the center or from the web based Learning Management system which helps a student to perform and prepare be er for their CA exams. Since its launch, ETEN CA has already helped many students across the country to score well in their exams. Ashish Saboo & Ri ka Gupta, student of ETEN CA created history by securing 100% marks in IPCC Accounts in 2009 & 2010 . This is the rst me any student has scored 100% marks in IPCC Accounts. Besides this, ETEN CA has produced many Rank Holders in its previous batches. AIR 1 in IPCC & AIR 1 in FINAL in 2010 along with total 147 Ranks in 2010-2011 were also grabbed by ETENCA alumini. ETENCA is a pioneering ini a ve which brings all 19 CA subjects under one roof, each being taught by expert Faculty, under a structured pedagogy, with high quality books, notes and guidance. ETEN CA is now in Dubai, UAE, with a centre in ACORE Educa on Ins tute in Karama. Students can register for all subjects or choose to register only for individual subjects. Classes are air condi oned, comfortable and professionally managed. For more details please contact ACORE@ 971502355381.
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CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Program is a sought a er credenal for those seeking a career in the nancial sector. Regarded as the Gold Standard in the Investment Management eld, the CFA designa on is a key cer ca on for investment professionals working in areas of Research & Por olio Management. With more than 100,000 Charterholders prac cing in more than 140 countries around the world, the CFA charter is your passport to the Global Finance Community. The Program is administered by the CFA Ins tute, USA. Headquartered in Charlotsville, USA the CFA Ins tute is a global non-prot organiza on whose mission is to promote & develop a high level of educa onal, ethical & professional standard in the investment industry. The CFA Program does not require you to sit for any entrance exam. To par cipate in the CFA Program a candidate needs to either have a Bachelors Degree or be in the nal year of gradua on. However to be eligible for the CFA Charter designa on, candidates must pass three levels (6 hours each) of exam, have 48 months of nancial work experience which can be gained while comple ng the program & join the CFA Ins tute by commi ng to the CFA Ins tutes Code of Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct. The exams are divided into three levels. Level 1 (MCQ format) is held twice a year in June & December. However Level 2 (Item Set Ques ons) & Level 3 (Half Item Set Ques ons & Half Essay Quesons) are held only in June each year. The CFA Program can be completed within the dura on of two years at a reasonable cost of USD 2000 assuming one passes all three levels in the rst a empt. Ge ng the CFA qualica on is by no means an easy task. The CFA Ins tute recommends a minimum study me of 200-300 hours for each level to pass the exam which can be a daun ng task, especially for working professionals. This is where ETEN FINANCE can help. ETEN FINANCE is Indias largest CFA coaching Ins tute and an authorized prep provider of the CFA Ins tute. Having one of the worlds largest publishing company as one of its parent has certainly helped ETEN FINANCE deliver a very high quality of service as well as set global benchmark standards for CFA training. All Faculty are CFA Charterholders with considerable amount of teaching experience which is reected in the average pass rate of 75% compared to CFA Ins tutes pass rate of 40%. ETEN FINANCE also provides the highest classroom training hours compared to major CFA Coaching Ins tutes around the world. Their commitment is to make you pass the CFA Exam in the rst a empt through their Unique Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP). They have a panel of Academic Team to support & guide the student at every stage of the Program. With presence in 15 ci es Pan-India and with more than 25 centers, ETEN FINANCE has now launched in Dubai in associa on with Acore Ins tute. With an increasing need for specializa on, all those hoping to advance in this dynamic nancial world need to look beyond the generic designa ons and pursue a specialized course like the CFA Program. It sure is going to be a rigorous & grueling test of your character, commitment & capability but denitely worth the eort ! To nd out more about the CFA Program visit www.cfains tute.org, to nd out more about ETEN FINANCE CFA Training visit www.etennance.com or contact ACORE @ 971502355381.
INDIANAMA
62
Satyamev Jayate : Are you just watching a show or becoming a change agent?
Shreyanka Basu writes on a series on people, consumer, culture and everything that is Indian at heart
Satyamev Jayate, the Aamir Khan-hosted talk show, went on air recently. The cyber world is full of comments about the pros and cons of doing such a show, its format, its ming, its tone and delivery etc. I thought I would focus on the intent of the show, and see what it means for us as Indians to do a show about about our concerns. For as long as I can remember, the underbelly of India has been the domain of foreign documentaries, foreign journalists at mes enamored by the India is so poor and so exo c rou ne. I dont mean it as a derogatory remark about the quality of research done by foreigners. I am only saying that we have, by and large, looked at ourselves from the lens of others. As a na on, we have been ruled and we have been dictated. We have been angry and hurt about it, and we have also been guilty of being indierent to the privilege of being born in independent India. This, coupled with our daily struggles to get to the top in a world where there are a billion others gh ng for the same or similar goals, has meant we as Indians and specially as urban Indians have rarely reected upon these fundamental ques ons that govern our identy and existence in depth and from close quarters.
Who are we? What does it mean to be us at this point in history? What does India mean to us? How do we feel about our Indian identy from such a textured iden ty and context?It appears that the makers of Satyamev Jayate are making us more sensi zed to these ques ons and hoping that, over me, we will begin to nd some answers. Given that the show is created on its own terms (right from channel slots, me slots, distribu on ides etc.) and by people who are very successful in their own domains, we can safely assume that the primary mo va on for such a show was more about what can we do dierently and how much we can push the envelope on the same rather than just the money alone. And that makes the symbolism around this show even more relevant. The very act of crea ng such a show in a s ll developing country is an act of empowerment. A show such as Satyamev Jayate hints at our growing maturity about ourselves and also underlines a subtle coming-of-age cue. It says that if we are honest and adult enough to acknowledge that issues exist and that they do concern us, the resolu on cant be far behind. And for that thought alone must the creators of the show be complemented. But this is only one part of the story. How we respond to the program beyond the ini al
online frenzy will tell us about our true growth and maturity. Consider the following for a moment and decide for your self are you just watching a show or becoming a change agent? 1. It is our choice at this point whether we adopt this show or not and not our fate, given the plethora of programming op ons on TV on a Sunday morning. If in spite of the alternaves, we watch the program or even its reruns and/or YouTube updates, it is worth examining our own deeper intent. What draws us to a program that cri cs might say washes our dirty linen in public? Is it because we understand only too well that the ideologue of the common man standing on the sideline is dying, and that if we and our thoughts are to be counted, we must speak up, however frightening that thought might be? 2. It is probably the easiest thing for us to point ngers and write status updates about how one show is not going to change the world and we will surely kick o a thread of comments, as also likes on our Facebook pages. But beyond the immediate veneer of upda ng, is there a bigger shi happening? Are we collec vely checking out our own stances on issues that impact us and by commen ng, cri quing, liking, are we taking our own baby steps towards greater involvement into building a be er tomorrow?
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NGI Knowledge Exchange RNI TC No. MAH ENG 12553/13/1/2010- TC Decl. No. SDM/Pune/SR/138/2010
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF
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India's Onus

PUNE VOL 2 ISSUE NO 10

Price: `50 I US$3 I 2 I 2

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF

A FORUM FOR FORWARD THINKING INDIANS GLOBALLY

The Mirror that is Cinema!

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NEW GLOBAL INDIAN

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Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury

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We Live Because Of Them

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SagaraSangamam Apu Trilogy Roja

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COVER STORY DIRECTORS VOICE

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Old and New versions of Haqueeqat, Hum Dono and Mughal-e-Azam

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Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam

Shri Krishna Janam

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Munna Bhai MBBS

Kaho Na Pyaar Hai

Taare Zameen Par

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I had a wonderful experience

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NRI becomes rst Muslim Lord Mayor of UK town

Indian-American elected to city council in Texas

Boy of Indian origin Rahul Nagvekar wins National Geographic Bee

Indian-American appointed to key Pentagon position

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Punjab tightens the law for NRI grooms

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BUILDING A SUCCESS STORY

Rizwan Sajan during an event

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide

The Global Indian Business Meet, 2012

Some of the dignitaries expected to grace the event

Lord Meghnad Desai

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide

10 REASONS FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT!

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide

A TRIBUTE TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON HIS 150th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY.

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide

GIBM 2012 PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Business Leaders' Summit Entrepreneurs' Summit Investors' Summit

India Business Summit Partnership Summit

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET Impacting Business Worldwide

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET UNIQUENESS

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VENUE & ACCOMODATION

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

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